Shep Smith Comes Out as Gay

Fox News anchor Shepard Smith publicly addressed his sexuality for the first time in an interview published Monday by The Huffington Post. Media reporters have long speculated on Smith’s sexuality, and several years ago Gawker reported that Fox News executives allegedly prevented Smith from coming out as homosexual—a charge that was denied. Asked by the Huffington Post if recently deposed Fox chief Roger Ailes ever used homophobic slurs around him—a gay man—Smith said, “No, never. He treated me with respect, just respect... he gave me every opportunity in the world and he never asked anything of me but that we get it right, try to get it right every day. It was a very warm and loving and comfortable place.” Smith also directly addressed the Gawker report, saying it was “not true,” and that Ailes “was as nice as he could be to me. I loved him like a father.” However, he said, regarding the rampant sexual-harassment allegations that forced Ailes out the door, Smith said, “[T]rusts were betrayed. People outside this company can’t know [how painful that betrayal was]. This place has its enemies, but inside, it was very personal, and very scarring and horrifying.”