An Interview with Reality Television Star, Reichen Lehmkuhl

After he and his partner won season four of the Amazing Race, Reichen Lehmkuhl was thrust into the white hot glare of the gay media spotlight. In four short years, he's become an advocate for gay rights in the military, broken up with his boyfriend, had a television show on a failed network and written a book. Oh, and he was the man responsible for finally bumping N Sync-er Lance Bass out of the closet. With his name emblazoned on the cover of tabloids and websites, you probably thought you knew him. Or did you?

Matthew: I have to know about these gay secret society's I read about in your book, Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Reichen: Because of the consequences that exist for military members who are caught as homosexuals, there has developed clandestine support groups. It has to be secretive to make sure that people didn't get in trouble for being gay.

What are the repercussions of being gay in the USAF?
Pulled out of your room in the middle of the night and physically attacked, questioned for whatever offence you committed in association with your homosexuality, humiliated, publicly outted, dishonorably discharged; the list is awful and extensive. Horrible treatment. It wasn't cowardly to be in the closet in the military, it was a necessity for survival.

Where did this society meet?
We met in the underground tunnels. It sounds hotter and more sinister then it was. You'd met someone and interact with them for a while, and then you'd invite them to a meeting in the tunnels. They'd think about it for two weeks, and then they would always come.

How were you sure the person was gay, that they weren't going to out you?
Luckily, the majority of gay people posses gaydar! You look in someone's eyes and for a few seconds you can communicate a lot of pain, suffering, fear, dealing with a life of hiding everyday. Secrecy projects through someone's eyes.

You served in the AF for 9 years, why put up with homophobia for so long?
I love to fly. I love planes. I like almost everything the AF stands for, except for their stance on homosexuality. Everything else, I loved. But by the end of my term, I was jaded; I realized how tough it was to hide my true identity. I hated it. The military is supposed to be about commodity and integrity. To exclude people based on sexuality, it's hypocritical to the real values that the AF is about. The organizations is 99% right when it comes to values, it's just this one situation that is opposite to their integrity.

Are we getting any closer to equality in the military?
I think we are closer then ever. The head of the Joint Chiefs just made a statement saying he was incorrect in stating that homosexuality was incompatible with troop service. Now that our forces are at their end point, and they need troops, and it would be unpopular to have a draft, bring on the gays! This is what happened with all minority groups as they came into the service: Black, women, so on and so on...My grandmother was a pilot during WWII, and she heard the same excuses.

Tell me a little about Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN).
The SLDN is a fantastic group that works to help protect and support servicemen that have been targeted by homophobia. They help with legal support and defense. I am honored to have worked them over the years.

And you still do work with them?
I have a new jewelry line coming out, Fly Naked. A substantial amount of the gross proceeds will go to SLDN. I couldn't be happier to be involved. Plans from the beginning were to go to the TOP retail stores. It's all done in platinum and titanium, with a lot of propellers, clean lines and silver colors. It's definitely a masculine line, but the marketing people believe it could sell to women.

Now for the big question: You and Lance? Together? Apart? What's going on?

From the horse's mouth;I am single. I am single and I am happy. I have nothing bad to say about my relationship with Lance. All relationships are really tough, and even tougher when each little bump in the road is broadcast for everyone to see.

Being on the cover of US Weekly can be a bit tough, hunh?
It was tough for me! I am not one of those people who craves constant attention. I need to have private relationships. I am an extremely shy person, so having my private life exposed has been awful. It's very frustrating. I don't want to be in the circus, I don't want to be in the game. I don't want people making opinions of me that aren't based on fact.

Some bloggers (-cough-Perez Hilton-cough-) have been particularly savage in there coverage of you...
Outright lies are written about my relationship and me on Internet blogs. It's unfortunate people think they can make up stuff about people in the public eye. I hope eventually those people are made to abide by the law, and not make up blatant lies about celebrities. It's a little out of control. They don't only affect the public figure, they affect everyone around them. Family, friends, coworkers. It's just awful,the damage.

Has this changed your lifestyle?
My behavior has become a bit irrational. I don't want people to know my phone number, my address. For a while, the world new where I was eating breakfast! I was in NY the other day, just buying a laptop. Somebody took a pic of me and posted it on the net, with the caption "Reichen's not as dumb as he looks.. It's made me angry. Who cares about that? That's a lesson for all of us, don't let the outside forces of the media control your life!

Are things friendly between you and Lance?
Lance is a great person. He deserves to be happy. I am glad we both had wonderful support systems during our relationship, and hope that everyone supports us as individuals now that we are not together.

If this fame is so tiring, where does Reichen go from here?
Finance. Business. Honestly, I feel like this all got carried away. I was running my own jet charter business when I got onto Amazing Race (AR). I was a business guy on my way to law school. I found a way to speak for gay rights through a public platform, which was good. What was bad was having managers and agents.

Sounds like you have some regrets.
I regret a lot of the modeling I did after AR. The people advising me told me to make money. I didn't know one photo shoot would make the world think I prance around in a Speedo all day. I became this shirtless icon. Next, people were saying,"You need to be an actor or model." After a while you realize it's a lot of people trying to make money off of YOU.

Would you give up the fame to go back and be a businessman?
I am still a businessman. I will say, that I can be a very insecure person. I have a strong need for acceptance. Those are the traits in my personality that lead me to believe the hype of fame. I like running a business, I like managing my employees, and I like to manage money.