Lance Bass knows a thing or two about coming out in the public eye, and he has a word of caution for former “Bachelor” Colton Underwood.
via: Insider
The former NSYNC singer on Thursday appeared on “The Ben & Ashley I Almost Famous” podcast for a candid conversation about Underwood and sexuality.
Lance Bass on Colton Underwood monetizing his coming out. pic.twitter.com/ncyiB3BOpu
— Walker (@justwalkerr) April 18, 2021
Underwood announced during a “Good Morning America” interview with Robin Roberts that he has come out as gay. Soon after, Variety reported that Underwood, 29, would return to reality TV with a Netflix series detailing “his life publicly as a gay man.”
Bass said the series is “only going to help the community,” but cautioned that Underwood could receive some pushback.
“He definitely going to get a lot of backlash from the community at first,” said Bass, 41. “Not the majority, but there is a small percentage of the community that’s just gonna not like the fact that he came out this way, that he’s monetizing the experience.”
Bass first publicly came out as gay in 2006 when he appeared as the cover story for People’s July issue that year. He later revealed that he came out to Britney Spears at least two years earlier.
“They don’t know what the issues are because they’ve been so separated from that on purpose. So when someone comes out as a public figure, so many people immediately go, “It’s too late.” They don’t like to support it because they don’t feel like you know what you’re talking about yet,” Bass said during the podcast. “But I don’t think Colton is trying to lead that charge of trying to be the spokesperson for the LGBTQ community.”
Bass also advised Underwood to “listen.”
“That’s all you need to do right now, is just listen to the community, listen to everyone around you,” Bass said. “Educate yourself, and then you’ll naturally find where you belong in this community. But the best thing to do right now is sit back, listen and learn.”
Colton will be just fine.
