George Michael Dies At 53: Celebrities And Fans Reaction To The Death Of A True Icon Of Music

One of the first to react to George Michael's death was, Comedy legend Ricky Gervais with a simple tweet: "Unbelievable. RIP George Michael" while Elton John added: "I have lost a beloved friend"

It was all for Comic Relief. James Corden has made his name for himself across the Atlantic with his now patented 'car pool karaoke' where he takes famous stars on a sing-a-long and belt out a few tunes.
But his very first attempt came in 2011 for Comic Relief - and it involved George Michael, who tragically died today of heart failure.

Five years ago in the humorous sketch Corden took a call from comic legend Lenny Henry when he was driving around the streets of London.
At first not recognizing the Comic Relief stalwart, Corden realized who he was when Henry said he was from "from the Travelodge adverts".
Legendary singer George Michael died "peacefully" on Christmas Day aged just 53, his publicist has announced.
The police and ambulance service were called to his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire just before 2pm.

The sad news was broken in a short statement issued at 11pm by Michael Lippman, which said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.

"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage."
Mr Lippman later revealed George was found "in bed, lying peacefully" and that he is understood to have died of heart failure.

He told Billboard that the exact time of death is not clear at this time, but there was "no foul play whatsoever".

17 Really Bad Habits You Need to Get Rid Of in 2017

Do you know how most people really want to become a celebrity in 2017?

Finally take control of your destiny by deleting the negative habits that have been dragging you down

Many of you will resolve to start a new positive habit in 2017. Adding good habits can be fun, but unfortunately (most of the time), they don't work. Approximately 38% of Americans will make resolutions, and only 8% will succeed.

Instead of adding a new diet or workout regime, let's remove the negative habits that have been holding you back.

Here we go:

1. Kill your habit of checking social media during the workday.

Social Media platforms are masters at making you stay there. Getting lost in Facebook can be fun, but it's counterproductive during the day -- especially while you're trying to build that presentation for your investors.

Now that we're on the subject, turn off the notifications on your phone too. You can check your Snaps on your break.

2. Kill your habit of thinking it's all about you.

Your frowning boss isn't conspiring to fire you, as much as the cashier isn't giggling about your tie. They're thinking about themselves, and their own problems. Not you. I promise.

It's not about you. So cut it out. Run on that assumption when dealing with every human interaction in your life, and you'll be much happier.

3. Kill your habit of multi-tasking.

Science tells us that only 2% of us can really multi-task. So don't try. Try this instead: When attempting to get something off your "to-do" list, shut down every browser and APP on your screen except for the one you need.

Otherwise, you'll get notifications for LinkedIn requests to Facebook Live posts, to Tweets. A never-ending stream of distraction. So shut down everything except the program you need, and finally get things done.

4. Kill your habit of comparing yourself to everyone.

You will never win this game. There will always be someone smarter, better looking, richer and (seemingly) happier. Always. Focus on yourself, your mindset, your health, the state of your being, and you'll win.

5. Kill your habit of complaining.

It's just not worth it. Be aware of the words that come out of your mouth. They affect you and the people around you.

Speak of good things, and more good things happen. Speak of negative things, and more negative things happen. Simple.

6. Kill your habit of wasting time with negative people.

If they don't love and support you, get rid of them. You don't have to shout, kick and scream. Just stop being available to them. They won't notice. They're too self-centered to care.

7. Kill your habit of taking or organizing long and unnecessary meetings.

Less meeting means more doing. We're all adults. Take the meeting, do what you need to do, and go and do it. You can still be social, and have fun, and succeed in making meetings more efficient.

Try this in your next meeting. Set an agenda. As you run through the agenda go around the room and have everyone share:

1. What they're working on.
2. What they've completed.
3. What they need to complete what they're still working on.

It works, I promise. You'll shave 1/2 hour off your meeting time.

8. Kill your habit of saying "yes."

You may think you don't have enough time. You do. You just spend your time doing the wrong things.

Stop saying "yes" to everything. Embrace "no." Love "no." No is your word for 2017. Love it, live it, and use it.

9. Kill your habit of self-loathing thoughts & beliefs.

Enough is enough. You are good at what you do. You have it in you. If you can't silence that voice in your head, begin a regiment of meditation. If you need some quick wins to feel good about yourself, write three things you want to change this year. Right now. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Congratulations, you took the first step. Feel that little endorphin release in your brain? That's what you're looking for. Keep doing that, and you'll break that habit and create a new one. A habit where you actually get things done. Go --- do things.

10. Kill your habit of sitting.

Get off your backside. Run, exercise, move. But stop sitting. Oh, and get a standing desk while you're at it.

11. Kill your habit of underachieving.

You're better than this. You have more in you, and you're not getting any younger. Start that business. Resign from that horrible job. Do it now. The only thing stopping you is you. Not your family, not your bank account.

12. Kill your habit of bragging about your resolutions before they happen.

Your brain thinks you've accomplished them when you announce them to the world. Stop that. This TED talk helps to explain the phenomenon.

13. Kill your habit of creating excuses.

While you're at it, kill the habit of creating reasons. They're just excuses with lipstick on.

14. Kill your habit of reality TV/celebrity gossip etc.

You're an adult; this shouldn't be a part of your entertainment. It's junk food for your brain. Feels great at first, but there is always a negative mental consequence.

15. Kill your habit of obsessing over dooms-day scenarios.

It's good to have some healthy skepticism, but pessimists don't change the world, motivate people, or come up with innovative ideas. They only bring the people around them down.

16. Kill your habit of obsessing over things outside of your control.

Focus your time, energy and resources on improving yourself. You can control everything you put in your body, think about and do. Master yourself and become ruler of your universe.

17. Kill your habit of making sure everything has to be perfect.

It ain't happening. Ever. This is just a complicated form of procrastination. Which is a deeper manifestation of your fear. Get out of your own way, and let it rip.
#FonMba
#FongangMbanwei
#LegacyBuilders2016
 #LegacyBuilders2017

Celebrity – It’s The Smiling Face Of The Corporate Machine

Our failure to understand the link between fame and big business made the rise of Trump inevitable.

Now that a reality TV star is preparing to become president of the United States, can we agree that celebrity culture is more than just harmless fun – that it might, in fact, be an essential component of the systems that govern our lives?

The rise of celebrity culture did not happen by itself. It has long been cultivated by advertisers, marketers and the media. And it has a function. The more distant and impersonal corporations become, the more they rely on other people’s faces to connect them to their customers.

Corporation means body; capital means head. But corporate capital has neither head nor body. It is hard for people to attach themselves to a homogenized franchise owned by a hedge fund whose corporate identity consists of a filing cabinet in Panama City. So the machine needs a mask. It must wear the face of someone we see as often as we see our next-door neighbors. It is pointless to ask what Kim Kardashian does to earn her living: her role is to exist in our minds. By playing our virtual neighbor, she induces a click of recognition on behalf of whatever grey monolith sits behind her this week.

An obsession with celebrity does not lie quietly beside the other things we value; it takes their place. A study published in the journal Cyberpsychology reveals that an extraordinary shift appears to have taken place between 1997 and 2007 in the US. In 1997, the dominant values (as judged by an adult audience) expressed by the shows most popular among nine- to 11 year-olds were community feeling, followed by benevolence. Fame came 15th out of the 16 values tested. By 2007, when shows such as Hannah Montana prevailed, fame came first, followed by achievement, image, popularity and financial success. Community feeling had fallen to 11th, benevolence to 12th.

A paper in the International Journal of Cultural Studies found that, among the people it surveyed in the UK, those who follow celebrity gossip most closely are three times less likely than people interested in other forms of news to be involved in local organisations, and half as likely to volunteer. Virtual neighbours replace real ones.

The blander and more homogenised the product, the more distinctive the mask it needs to wear. This is why Iggy Pop was used to promote motor insurance and Benicio del Toro is used to sell Heineken. The role of such people is to suggest that there is something more exciting behind the logo than office blocks and spreadsheets. They transfer their edginess to the company they represent. As soon they take the cheque that buys their identity, they become as processed and meaningless as the item they are promoting.

A database search by the anthropologist Grant McCracken reveals that in the US actors received 17% of the cultural attention accorded to famous people between 1900 and 1910: slightly less than physicists, chemists and biologists combined. Film directors received 6% and writers 11%. Between 1900 and 1950, actors had 24% of the coverage, and writers 9%. By 2010, actors accounted for 37% (over four times the attention natural scientists received), while the proportion allocated to both film directors and writers fell to 3%.

This helps to explain the mass delusion among young people that they have a reasonable chance of becoming famous. A survey of 16-year-olds in the UK revealed that 54% of them intend to become celebrities.

As soon as celebrities forget their allotted role, the hounds of hell are let loose upon them. Lily Allen was the media’s darling when she was advertising John Lewis. Gary Lineker couldn’t put a foot wrong when he stuck to selling junk food to children. But when they expressed sympathy for refugees, they were torn to shreds. When you take the corporate shilling, you are supposed to stop thinking for yourself.

Celebrity has a second major role: as a weapon of mass distraction. The survey published in the IJCS I mentioned earlier also reveals that people who are the most interested in celebrity are the least engaged in politics, the least likely to protest and the least likely to vote. This appears to shatter the media’s frequent, self-justifying claim that celebrities connect us to public life.

The survey found that people fixated by celebrity watch the news on average as much as others do, but they appear to exist in a state of permanent diversion. If you want people to remain quiescent and unengaged, show them the faces of Taylor Swift, Shia LaBeouf and Cara Delevingne several times a day.

In Trump we see a perfect fusion of the two main uses of celebrity culture: corporate personification and mass distraction. His celebrity became a mask for his own chaotic, outsourced and unscrupulous business empire. His public image was the perfect inversion of everything he and his companies represent. As presenter of the US version of The Apprentice, this spoilt heir to humongous wealth became the face of enterprise and social mobility. During the presidential elections, his noisy persona distracted people from the intellectual void behind the mask, a void now filled by more lucid representatives of global capital.

Celebrities might inhabit your life, but they are not your friends. Regardless of the intentions of those on whom it is bequeathed, celebrity is the lieutenant of exploitation. Let’s turn our neighbors back into our neighbors, and turn our backs on those who impersonate them.

Did You Know This? 18 Stars Who Gave Up Their Children For Adoption

1. Kate Mulgrew

Orange Is The New Black actress Kate Mulgrew became pregnant in 1977, just when her soap acting career was taking off, and she didn't want to marry the baby's father.

She decided to give her daughter up for adoption, and the two weren't reunited until 2001. 

2. Roseanne Barr

Roseanne gave up her baby for adoption at the age of 18, in 1971. She initially hoped to keep the baby but realized that she didn't have the money to care for a child.

While she was pregnant she lived in a Salvation Army home for unwed mothers. She was reunited with her daughter, Brandi Brown, 17 years later when the girl was discovered by a tabloid.

3. Duane Lee Chapman AKA "Dog the Bounty Hunter"

When Chapman was a teen, his girlfriend had a baby without ever telling him she was pregnant. She committed suicide soon after the birth and the baby was given up for adoption.

Chapman didn't learned that he had a son, Christopher Hecht, until his son was an adult.

4. Ted Nugent

Gun-loving NRA spokesman Ted Nugent gave up his son Ted for adoption in 1968 after his girlfriend became accidentally pregnant.

Father and son were reunited in 2010, along with another child whom Ted had given up for adoption, a daughter named Louisa.

5. Linda Lovelace

Adult film star Linda Lovelace became pregnant with her son at age 19, and was pressured by her mom into giving him up for adoption.

Lovelace was never reunited with her son.

6. Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein's first daughter with his wife Mileva Mari, named Lieserl, was born out of wedlock in 1902.

She is believed to have been put up for adoption because of the shame of an illegitimate child. Either that, or she died from scarlet fever.

7. Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell gave up her baby for adoption at the age of 21, before she'd made it as a rock star. This was back in 1965, and as an unwed mom with no financial security Mitchell was trying to do right by her child.

The singer was finally reunited with her daughter Kilauren Gibb in 1997, after publicly announcing that she was searching for her.

8. Hank Williams, Sr.

Hank Williams' daughter Jett was born out of wedlock five days after Hank died from heart failure at the young age of 29.

She was legally adopted by Hank's mom Lillian Stone, who died when Jett was 2 years old. Jett was then adopted by another Alabama family.

9. Clark Gable

Clark Gable's girlfriend Loretta Young became pregnant in 1935, and they placed the baby in an orphanage

Young then returned and adopted the baby 19 months later but Gable would never acknowledge that he was the father.

10. Kevin Thornton

Celebrity chef Kevin Thornton and his wife Muriel gave up their first child for adoption in 1980s. They weren't aware of the pregnancy until Muriel started giving birth, and they were financially unprepared to raised a child.

Their son reached out to them and the family reconnected once he turned 18.

11. Patti Smith

Patti Smith was 19 and working a factory job in New Jersey when she fell pregnant.

Her parents sent her away to a foster home to hide the pregnancy from neighbors, and faced with overwhelming obstacles, Smith decided to put the baby up for adoption and was never reunited with her child.

12. Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart has had a less-than-great relationship with the first of his eight children, a daughter named Sarah whom he fathered at age 17.

The little girl's mom, Samantha Boffey, gave the baby up for adoption. Sarah reconnected with her dad in the 1980s but they didn't become close until meeting again in 2007.

13. David Crosby

The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young founder was reunited with his son Raymond in 1994, having put him up for adoption back in 1962.

Amazingly, Raymond is a talented musician and now plays in his dad's new band CPR.

14. Dirk Benedict

Battlestar Galactica actor Dirk Benedict didn't learn that he had a son, John Talbert, until the latter was 30 years old.

When Talbert was born in 1968, his mom placed him for adoption without telling Benedict anything about the pregnancy or birth.

15. Andy Kaufman

 Comedian Andy Kaufman gave his daughter up for adoption when his high school girlfriend fell pregnant.

Kaufman's daughter Maria Colonna only learned who her biological father was after his death in 1984.

16. Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra

Catelynn and Tyler gave up their daughter Carly for adoption on the MTV reality show 16 and Pregnant  (a precursor to Teen Mom).

They went through the post-adoption grieving process in public, and now consider themselves spokespeople for the biological parents' experience of the adoption process.

17. Mercedes Ruehl

Oscar-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl put her son Christopher up for adoption in 1976, when she was 28, because she didn't have "the emotional development or the economic capability" to raise a child.

The two reunited when Christopher was 21, and Ruehl later adopted another son, Jake, in 1995.

18. Jay Thomas

Actor Jay Thomas gave up his son for adoption at the very start of his acting career.

He and his girlfriend felt they didn't have enough financial stability to raise a child. Thomas was reunited with his son in 2007.

#FonMba

#FongangMbanwei

#LegacyBuilders

Big Surprise? 30 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Lesbians

#1 – Ellen Page

Joining Amber Heard as the second 29-year-old celebrity on our list is Canada’s very own Ellen Page.

Launching her career as a television star in Canada, Page landed her first big role in the United States in the 2005 drama Hard Candy. Thanks to her award-winning performance in the 2007 comedy Juno, Page quickly became a Hollywood star and has since appeared in films like Inception, The Tracey Fragments and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Much like how Wanda Sykes came out, Page announced she was gay in front of a Las Vegas crowd gathered on Valentine’s Day in 2014 at the Time to Thrive conference for the Human Rights Campaign. A year later, the public caught their first glimpse of Page with her partner, professional surfer Samantha Thomas, at the premiere of Freeheld at the Toronto Film Festival. As an advocate for LGBT rights, Page has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where she has openly discussed her relationship and how good it feels to finally be happy.

#2 – Lily Tomlin

Easily one of the funniest women of the 1970s, Lily Tomlin made a name for herself on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In which led to an acting career that spans over five decades.

Now at 76 years old, Tomlin has earned dozens of awards for her outstanding performances in recent hits like Grace and Frankie as well as in notable films such as Nashville, The Late Show, 9 to 5, Flirting with Disaster, I Heart Huckabees and Grandma.

First meeting writer Jane Wagner in 1971, Tomlin had little idea that their early collaboration on a project would quickly transform into love and, ultimately, a 45-year relationship.

With their romance blossoming in the 1970s, Tomlin and Wagner never officially came out but Tomlin said that everyone in the industry knew about her sexuality and their relationship. Tomlin said, “In interviews I always referenced Jane…but they don’t always write about it.” After 42 years together, the couple finally married in a private ceremony on New Year’s Eve in 2013 and are still living happily ever after.

#3 – Sara Gilbert

Starring in what became one of the greatest television series of all time, Sara Gilbert played the moody Darlene Conner on Roseanne from 1988 until 1997.

Graduating from Yale University the same year the series ended, Gilbert went on to prove her talents both on and off the camera with appearances as Sheldon’s rival, Leslie Winkle, on The Big Bang Theory and as the co-host, creator and executive producer of The Talk with Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne and others.

Dating her Roseanne and future Big Bang Theory costar Johnny Galecki as a teenager, Gilbert said that’s when she knew she was a lesbian. Splitting up and remaining friends with Galecki, Gilbert then started dating television producer Allison Adler in 2001. After two children and spending the last 15 years keeping her sexuality private, Gilbert came out in 2010 as she prepared for the launch of her talk show. Separating from Adler the following year, Gilbert is now married to songwriter and former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman, Linda Perry.

#4 – Amber Heard

One of the youngest celebrities on our list at just 29 years old is the beautiful Amber Heard.

First making her acting debut in Friday Night Lights with Billy Bob Thornton, Heard landed her breakout role in 2008 with Never Back Down and Pineapple Express. Since then, the award-winning actress has appeared with some of Hollywood’s hottest stars including Johnny Depp, Channing Tatum and Matt Bomer in films like The Rum Diary and Magic Mike XXL.

Having dated men for the majority of her life, Heard surprised the world in 2010 when she came out at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s 25th Anniversary event. Heard said, “I don’t label myself one way or another – I have had successful relationships with men and now a woman. I love who I love.” That woman was photographer Tasya van Ree but their relationship didn’t last long as Heard met and fell in love with Johnny Depp while filming The Rum Diary. Marrying Depp in a private ceremony in 2015, Heard continues to identify as bisexual.

#5 – Cynthia Nixon

Launching her acting career at just 12 years old, Cynthia Nixon spent much of her early career dividing her time between the stage and the silver screen in productions like The Philadelphia Story and in films like Amadeus and The Pelican Brief.

By 1998, however, everything changed for Nixon when she was cast as the sexy red-headed Miranda Hobbes in HBO’s Sex and the City, which earned her a 2004 Emmy Award and widespread fame.

Spending 15 years in a relationship with Danny Mozes and raising their two children, all signs pointed to Nixon being straight until the couple broke up in 2003.

The following year, Nixon started dating education activist Christine Marinoni and soon found herself in love. Engaged by 2009 and married in 2012, Nixon now identifies as bisexual and says, “I don’t really feel I’ve changed. I’d been with men all my life and I’d never fallen in love with a woman. But when I did, it didn’t seem so strange. I’m just a woman in love with another woman.”

#6 – Raven Symone

Winning the hearts of audiences as the sassy Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show, Raven Symone’s fame continued to grow as she became a teen idol in the 1990s and the star of her own Disney Channel series, That’s So Raven.

Wrapping up her series and transitioning to film, Symone retired from acting in 2013 to enroll at the Academy of Art University but made a huge comeback in 2015 when she joined ABC’s daytime show, The View.

Neither confirming nor denying rumors about being gay, Simone took to Twitter in 2012 where she told fans, “My sexual orientation is mine and the person I’m dating’s to know.

I’m not one for a public display of my life.” Just two years later, however, Symone told Oprah Winfrey that she was finally in an “amazing, happy relationship” with a woman but refused to accept any label such as “gay.” By 2015, Symone introduced her partner, AzMarie Livingston, but the relationship soon fizzled as they called it quits in October after three years together.

#7 – Sarah Paulson

With her sights set on stardom, Sarah Paulson graduated from Manhattan’s High School of Performing Arts and immediately found work as an actress.

Landing roles in series such as American Gothic and Jack & Jill, Paulson made the transition to the silver screen where she was cast in films like What Women Want, Down with Love and Path to War. Now at 41 years old, Paulson has returned to television and is best known for her award-winning performance in the last five seasons of the FX series, American Horror Story.

Spending more than a decade in the spotlight and often with a beau on her arm, Paulson started dating actress Cherry Jones in 2004 and, by 2007, they openly professed their love to one another during an interview with Velvetpark. Breaking up with Jones in 2009, Paulson has described her sexuality as “fluid” but, after having recently been spotted arm and arm with 73-year-old actress Holland Taylor, we can’t help but think that maybe Paulson’s broken heart has finally healed.

#8 – Jodie Foster

With a career spanning 50 years and counting, Jodie Foster was only five years old when she made her television debut on Mayberry R.F.D.

Literally growing up on the silver screen, Foster landed her first major role in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Her career quickly blossomed as she brought in award after award for her performances in hit films such as The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs and Nell.

Foster has one of the most unusual outings on the list when she was accused in 1990 of being a closet lesbian after protesters argued that The Silence of the Lambs was homophobic. Often quoted for saying that she “values privacy against all else,” Foster settled the matter seven years later during an event in honor when she acknowledged the rumors without fully “coming out.” Already in an 11-year relationship (not to mention having two children) with Cydney Bernard at the time, Foster’s sexual preference was already known in Hollywood without her ever having to use the words “gay” or “lesbian” in her iconic speech.

#9 – Queen Latifah

A pioneer feminist in the world of hip-hop, Queen Latifah is one of the most talented artists of the past 25 years.

Launching her career in 1989 with the release of her All Hail the Queen debut album, Latifah has released six other albums in addition to starring in films like Chicago, Taxi and Bringing Down the House. In fact, there’s little that this New Jersey native hasn’t done as she’s proven her talents as a model, award-winning television and record producer, comedienne and talk show host.

Spotted kissing a woman in 2014, rumors about Queen Latifah’s sexuality started to spread as people wondered, “Is she gay or is she straight?” In response to the questions, Latifah told reporters, “I don’t find being gay or lesbian to be a character flaw. Couples should be protected under the laws of this country period.” Though never openly speaking about her own sexuality despite often being seen in public holding hands with Eboni Nichols, Latifah is one of Hollywood’s biggest advocates for gay rights and appears to be bisexual at the very least.

#10 – Michelle Rodriguez

Skyrocketing to stardom over 15 years ago thanks to her award-winning performance as a troubled boxer in Girlfight, Michelle Rodriguez has become notorious for playing tough and independent women who can definitely throw a punch.

Perhaps best known for her role in The Fast and the Furious franchise, the 37-year-old is one of Hollywood’s favorite female action stars with roles in films like S.W.A.T., Avatar, Blue Crush and Resident Evil.

Named as one of the sexiest women in the world, Rodriguez has dated her fair share of A-listers including her Furious and S.W.A.T.

co-stars, Vin Diesel and Olivier Martinez. However, after a broken engagement and rumored relationships with women, Rodriguez finally told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2013 that she wasn’t gay. Instead, she said, “I’ve gone both ways. I do as I please. I am too curious to sit here and not try when I can. Men are intriguing. So are chicks.” Currently single and worth an impressive $34 million, there’s no doubt this sexy Latina will find her next flame soon!

#11 – Robin Roberts

One of the most popular news broadcasters in the United States, Robin Roberts was a basketball star at Southeastern Louisiana University who took her skills off the hardwoods as a local television sports anchor destined for fame.

Joining ESPN as a sportscaster in 1990, Roberts moved to the anchor seat on Good Morning America in 2005 where she’s shared news and entertainment headlines as well as her life and battle against breast cancer and myelodysplastic syndrome with the world.

Spending each day in front of millions of viewers, Roberts kept her personal life and sexual orientation private although close friends, family and coworkers knew she was gay.

After a year-long struggle with her health in 2013, Roberts posted an update on Facebook on December 29 that acknowledged her health and her relationship with long-time girlfriend, Amber Laign, whom she has been with since 2005. With Laign at her side for every chemo treatment and even a bone marrow transplant, Roberts says she has finally found true love.

#12 – Jane Lynch

Illinois native Jane Lynch had been in Hollywood for over a decade before catching a huge break in 2006 when she was cast as the eccentric Paula in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Quickly becoming a star, Lynch built her career with hits like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Role Models before landing the leading role in Glee. Taking home dozens of awards from the series, the 55-year-old star has also brought home two Emmy Awards as the host of NBC’s hit game show, Hollywood Game Night.

Unlike many others on our list, Lynch said that her sexuality was never met with fanfare and told reporters, “I’m an actor and when people started taking an interest in me, where they wanted to write about me, I didn’t say I wasn’t gay, so – I never had that.” Named as one of the “10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz,” Lynch credits talk show host Ellen DeGeneres for making it easier for women to embrace their sexuality and come out to their family, friends and the public in general with more confidence.

#13 – Wanda Sykes

Recognized as a trailblazer and role model for young black women around the world with high hopes for careers in Hollywood, comedian Wanda Sykes is one of the funniest people in America.

Sykes launched her career as a writer for The Chris Rock Show and gained recognition after taking home an Emmy Award in 1999. Since then, she’s taken her place in front of the camera on hit series like The New Adventures of Old Christine and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Sykes spent the majority of the 1990s married to record producer David Hall before divorcing in 1998.

A decade later, the actress surprised Las Vegas fans when she joined a same-sex marriage rally and publicly came out as gay after announcing her recent marriage to Alex Niedbalski, who gave birth to their twins a year later. Now at 52 years old, Sykes admits that she struggled telling her parents about her sexuality until she was already 40 years old but, as a wife and mother, she’s happier than ever before as she watches her parents shower her children with love.

#14 – Jillian Michaels

Helping people get into shape since the series premiere of NBC’s The Biggest Loser in 2004, personal trainer Jillian Michaels has become a household name in the fitness industry.

Spending the last 12 years on the show in addition to hits like Losing It with Jillian, the 42-year-old has continued to prove her talents as an author, expert trainer and businesswoman especially after the January 2016 debut of her E! network reality television series Just Jillian.

Living in the public eye for over a decade, Michaels kept her personal life quiet until 2012 when she came out as gay.

She admitted that she didn’t realize she was gay until her 20s and credited Madonna’s “Justify My Love” music video with giving her the courage to find her voice. As for love, Michaels has two children with her fiancé Heidi Rhoades and says, “I believe in healthy love. If I fall in love with a woman, that’s awesome. If I fall in love with a man, that’s awesome. As long as you fall in love.”

#15 – Catherine McNeil

Taking the catwalk at just 14 years old, Australian native Catherine McNeil turned heads with her stunning beauty as she landed advertisement deals with big names like Versace and Donna Karan by the age of 18.

Now at 26 years old and ranked as one of the “Top 50 Models in the World,” she’s a veteran of the runway and definitely a showstopper modeling lines such as Jimmy Choo, Kenneth Cole, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and dozens of others.

Sticking to dating within the modeling industry, McNeil’s first public relationship was with Danish supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen.

After the couple split in 2009, McNeil was spotted kissing the gorgeous Ruby Rose, an Australian model and actress. McNeil and Rose were rumored to be engaged but the wedding was called off in 2010 long before wedding bells ever rang. Since then, McNeil briefly dated model Miles Langford before courting Emily Hope. Breaking up with Hope in January 2015, McNeil is still single and definitely ready to mingle.

#16 – Kelly McGillis

One of the biggest and hottest stars in Hollywood during the 1980s, Kelly McGillis won the hearts of audiences and earned her first Golden Globe nomination in 1985 with her breakout role in Witness opposite Harrison Ford.

She then went on to star as the sexy flight instructor named Charlie in Top Gun with yet another memorable role opposite Jodie Foster in the 1988 hit The Accused before taking a break from the silver screen.

First marrying Boyd Black in 1978 and divorcing by 1981, McGillis married Fred Tillman in 1989.

After two daughters and 13 years of marriage, they divorced in 2002 and, seven years later, McGillis came out as gay during an interview with SheWired when she admitted that her struggle with her sexual orientation started at the age of 12. The following year, the actress-turned-acting teacher entered into a civil union with her longtime friend, Melanie Leis, but by 2012, the couple called it quits leaving this Top Gun star flying solo once again.

#17 – Maria Bello

Launching her career in New York theater, Maria Bello made her television debut in the 1990s on NBC’s hit series ER before becoming an even bigger name when she was cast as Mrs.

Smith in the Mr. & Mrs. Smith spy series. Since then, the stunning blonde has transitioned into film with appearances in hits such as Coyote Ugly, The Cooler, A History of Violence and The Jane Austen Book Club.

Managing to keep her personal life out of the spotlight for much of her career, Bello made headlines in 2013 when she came out as a gay in a column written for The New York Times titled “Coming Out as a Modern Family.” Admitting that her 12-year-old son (with ex-boyfriend Dan McDermott) questioned if she had a girlfriend, Bello said, “I was with someone romantically and I hadn’t told [my son]. I had become involved with a woman who was my best friend and, as it happens, a person who is like a godmother to my son.” Cheers to her for finding love!

#18 – Kate McKinnon

Known for her impressions of everyone from Justin Bieber and Ellen DeGeneres to Iggy Azalea and Martha Stewart on Saturday Night Live, comedian Kate McKinnon launched her career nearly a decade ago as part of the Big Gay Sketch Show on the Logo Network.

Now at 32 years old, the Primetime Emmy nominee has skyrocketed to stardom with her most recent role as Jillian Holtzmann in the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters.

When it comes to being gay in Hollywood, McKinnon credits past lesbian stars like Julia Goldman and Rosie O’Donnell who helped pave the way for her and others. During an interview, McKinnon told reporters, “These are people who have made it OK for me to be gay, to be who I am right now, and I’m just so grateful as a person to them for their work and what they’ve done for all of us.”

#19 – Cat Cora

Thanks to television stations like The Food Network, the past decade has welcomed a host of celebrity chefs including Mississippi native Cat Cora.

Born into a family of restauranteurs, Cora first gained fame on Iron Chef and has since become a staple on dozens of food shows like Around the World in 80 Plates. In addition to her television fame, Cora is also the owner of Singapore’s Ocean by Cat Cora restaurant as well as three United States venues – Cat Cora’s Kitchen in Houston, San Francisco and Salt Lake City.

Doing her best to keep her personal life private, the 48-year-old Cora has been openly gay for decades and was often seen at red carpet events with her longtime partner, Jennifer. Having four sons together via in vitro fertilization, a “happily ever after” seemed like a sure bet for this stunning couple as they tied the knot in June 2013. By November 2015, however, Cora announced the end of their 17-year relationship which puts this hot chef back on the market!

#20 – Brandy Clark

“This ain’t my mama’s broken heart…” One of the biggest names behind the scenes in country music, Brandy Clark has slowly made her way to the spotlight after launching her career as a songwriter.

Churning out hits like “Mama’s Broken Heart” and “Better Dig Two” for superstars like Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, Sheryl Crow and many more, Clark finally took center stage on her own in 2013 with her debut album 12 Stories, which earned her a 2015 Grammy Award nomination as Best New Artist.

First picking up a guitar at nine years old, the 39-year-old Clark said that the deck was stacked against her in the country music industry as a woman “over 30 and over a size two” in addition to being openly gay. In an interview with The Washington Post, Clark said, “I don’t write songs for straight people or gay people or black people or white people. I write songs for people. I want them to put themselves in these songs. I would feel that way if I was straight.” Whatever she’s doing, it’s definitely working for this rising Nashville star.

#21 – Aubrey O’Day

With Sean “Diddy” Combs to thank for her rise to fame, Aubrey O’Day has come quite a long way since Combs discovered her on his reality show – Making the Band 3 – as a member of the all-girl group Danity Kane.

Despite being the most popular of the group, O’Day left the band in 2008 and launched her career as a solo artist and model. Since then, she has appeared in Playboy, taken the Broadway stage in Hairspray and has released her debut album Between Two Evils.

After splitting with DJ Cassidy and denying a relationship with Combs, rumors ran wild around O’Day’s sexuality leading the rising star to tell the media that she looks for “incredible passion and honest love, not gender.” Reportedly dating a woman at the time, O’Day continued to face rumors and took to Chelsea Lately in 2009 to tell her fans, “I don’t like to label myself. I want to find someone I’m passionate about and I don’t want to limit myself to one segment of the population.” These days, the 32-year-old star appears to have found exactly the passion she’s looking for in the arms of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Garland.

#22 – Kristanna Loken

Encouraged by her mother to pursue modeling, New York native Kristanna Loken took to the runway as a teenager before transitioning into acting in the late 1990s.

Cast in her first major role in 2003 as a deadly cyborg in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the 36-year-old actress has starred in a variety of films like BloodRayne, Bounty Killer and Mercenaries in addition to television series such as The L Word, Burn Notice and Girl Meets World.

Loken’s sexuality has been a bit of a mystery over the years after she first told Curve magazine, “I’ve dated and have had sex with men and women, and have to say that the relationships I have had with certain women have been much more fulfilling.” Despite rumors of romance with her BloodRayne costar Michelle Rodriguez, nothing was ever confirmed. Loken has bounced between dating men and women over the years and is obviously back to dating men after confirming her relationship with former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa since 2015. We’re just glad she’s finally happy!

#23 – Samantha Fox

Recognized as the most popular pin-up girl and the most photographed Brit of the 1980s, Samantha Fox was only 16 years old when she signed a modeling contract and posed topless for The Sun.

Fox achieved widespread success and retired from the magazine after four years to launch her career as a pop artist. Rising to fame with hit songs like “Touch Me (I Want Your Body),” Fox continued to make special appearances in The Sun and Playboy magazine while promoting her music.

Now 50 years old, Fox has had her fair share of interesting relationships which included a fling with notorious Australian con man Peter Foster.

She also made headlines for dating KISS band member Paul Stanley before rumors swirled about her sexuality after she judged a lesbian beauty pageant in the 1990s. Denying a lesbian relationship with her roommate Cris Bonacci, Fox finally came out in 2003 and confirmed her relationship with her manager, Myra Stratton, by saying, “People say I’m gay…I don’t know what I am. All I know is that I’m in love with Myra.” Sadly, Fox lost the love of her life in 2015 when the 60-year-old Stratton lost her two-year-battle with cancer.

#24 – Portia de Rossi

Speaking of Ellen DeGeneres, it only makes sense that her longtime partner and spouse, Portia de Rossi, is next on our list.

Born in Australia and first gaining prominence in the late 1990s on Ally McBeal, de Rossi followed up the series with successful runs on shows like Arrested Development, Better Off Ted and Nip/Tuck. Often ranked as one of the sexiest women in the world, de Rossi is still turning heads today as one of the powerful and politically influential women on the hit ABC series Scandal.

Initially worried about being exposed as a lesbian in her early career, de Rossi was married to filmmaker Mel Metcalfe from 1996 to 1999. On the heels of her divorce and exposed as a lesbian thanks to leaked photos in the tabloids, de Rossi started dating Francesca Gregorini but it wasn’t until 2005 when the actress embraced her sexuality and began dating DeGeneres. Together ever since, the two married in 2008 and are still together today with no plans on having children. They did, however, recently adopt a puppy who is undoubtedly one of the most loved dogs in all of Hollywood!

#25 – Jessica Clark

One of the most exotic and beautiful women in front of the cameras today is London’s own Jessica Clark whose English, Irish, Indian and Nigerian heritage have created show-stopping beauty.

Catching her first major break when she won a modeling competition at 16 years old, Clark has been a huge name in the industry with appearances in Vogue and Elle for brands like Adidas and Alexander McQueen. The 31-year-old beauty has also proven to be an exceptional actress as one of the hottest stars in the hit series True Blood.

Coming out early in her career, Clark is open about who she is and said, “I am multi-racial, I am gay, and there’s not much I can do about those things, nor would I want to if I could.” Catching the public’s eye in a nude appearance in Usher’s “Burn” music video in 2004, Clark met and began dating fitness trainer Lacey Stone shortly after. The couple married in 2010 but divorced two years later. Since then, Clark has cohosted Lesbian Love on Ellen DeGeneres’s video blog and has been linked to Ruby Croak since 2013.

#26 – Tila Tequila

Do you remember MySpace?

While some readers may be too young to remember the pre-Facebook site from the early 2000s, one of the most popular MySpace users was model and musician Tila Tequila. Using social media to become a celebrity, Tequila’s internet fame took her straight to the cover of men’s magazines like Playboy and Maxim before she made her television debut on Surviving Nugent in 2003 and then starred in her own dating show on MTV, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, in 2007.

There isn’t a list long enough in the entire world to name all the people who Tequila has been linked to romantically thanks, in part, to her bisexual-themed dating show that left men and women vying for her affection. After the show’s end in 2008, Tequila dated socialite Courtenay Semel for a few months before turning her attention to NFL star Shawne Merriman. Continuing the pattern of short-lived romances ever since, Tequila gave birth to a daughter in 2014 shortly after dating and breaking up with musician Thomas Whitaker. Looks like the 34-year-old Tequila is living up to her reputation as a real “Hook Up Queen.”

#27 – Cara Delevingne

Making her modeling debut at only 10 years old in Vogue Italia, London’s 23-year-old Cara Delevingne has skyrocketed to fame as a two-time British Fashion Award Model of the Year.

The 5’8” Delevingne signed her first contract in 2009 and has since become a magnet for the runway, social media and the tabloids after being featured in dozens of ads for high profile brands like Burberry, Dolce & Gabanna and more. She’s even made her way to the silver screen with appearances in films like Anna Karenina, Paper Towns and Suicide Squad.

A hot commodity both on and off the runway (and the silver screen), everyone wants to know more about Delevingne, how she spends her time and who she spends it with. Openly bisexual, Delevingne announced her relationship with musician Annie Clark (who is better known as St. Vincent) in 2015, which launched a media frenzy featuring dozens of photos of the couple plastered across England’s famed tabloids. Of course, after dating Harry Styles and Michelle Rodriguez, Delevingne is accustomed to making headlines for her steamy romances.

#28 – Missy Higgins

Hailing from the Land Down Under, the next celebrity on our list is Melissa “Missy” Higgins who has found international success as a singer, songwriter, musician and actress.

Releasing number one albums like The Sound of White in 2004 and On a Clear Night in 2007, the award-winning artist is known for her pop rock and indie sound featured in hit singles like “Scar,” “Steer,” “The Special Two” and “Where I Stood.”

Rising to fame in the early 2000s, Higgins was the media’s favorite hot topic when everyone speculated about her sexuality.

In 2007, an Australian lesbian magazine finally asked the million-dollar question as Higgins responded, “I think sexuality is a fluid thing. I’ve been in relationships with both men and women so I guess I fall most easily under the category of bisexual.” With the rumors momentarily put to rest, Higgins focused on her music until she made headlines again in 2013 when she started dating comedian Dan Lee. Now engaged and with the birth of her son in January 2015, we wish Higgins and her family nothing but happiness!

#29 – Amanda Bearse

Studying acting at New York City’s famed Neighborhood Playhouse, Amanda Bearse had her first major role in the 1985 horror flick Fright Night and, within two years, had already become a household name on television as Marcy on the long-running Married…With Children.

Bearse spent a decade on the show while trying her hand as a director on other series including Reba, The Jamie Foxx Show, Dharma & Greg and Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place.

After four years on Married…With Children, Bearse came out to her coworkers in 1991 but it wasn’t until two years later when she came out publicly and became the first openly gay lesbian to star in a primetime series.

By the late 2000s, the Florida native began dating Carrie Schenken and later tied the knot in 2010 although there was a notable absence from the guest list. Who was missing? Bearse said that she didn’t invite Ed O’Neill from Married…With Children because she didn’t want to see him giggling uncontrollably and unable to take her important day seriously. We can’t say we blame her!

#30 – Rosie O’Donnell

Discovered on Star Search in 1984 and launching her career as a stand-up comedian, Rosie O’Donnell was a huge name in the industry by the mid-1990s.

The New York native built a huge following and, by 1996, was given her own television show – The Rosie O’Donnell Show – which won multiple Emmy Awards during its six-season run. O’Donnell has also made appearances in films like A League of Their Own and The Flintstones but has stayed busiest with her work in television on programs like The View, The Fosters, Empire and Mom.

Known for being openly gay and an outspoken LGBT activist, O’Donnell first came out in 2002 when she announced “I’m a dyke” at an Ovarian Cancer Research benefit during part of her stand-up routine saying, “I don’t know why people make such a big deal about the gay thing.” Two years later, O’Donnell married Kelli Carpenter but the marriage was later annulled. Focusing her attention on raising her four children, it wasn’t until 2012 when O’Donnell married again, this time to Michelle Rounds. Calling it quits with Rounds in 2015, the 54-year-old O’Donnell is now raising her five children while balancing her work as an actor, activist, blogger and producer.