Barry Manilow: Coming Out as Gay in '70s Would Have Killed Career

Barry Manilow is speaking candidly about his decision to wait decades before publicly coming out as a gay man. 

The iconic singer-songwriter previously told People he chose to come out only in 2017, at age 73, because he thought it would have been "disappointing" for fans if they knew he was gay. But during an appearance on the latest episode of "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?" Manilow explained there was more to it.

"Well, in the '70s, you know, you didn't [come out]," Manilow told Wallace, according to Entertainment Weekly. "It wasn't the same as it is today. Now being gay is no big deal. But back in the '70s, it would have killed a career."

He continued: "The public was not ready for anybody to come out. And, frankly, it was just too personal. I just didn't want to talk about my personal life anyway. I never did that. I was happy talking about music. But talking about my personal life was just kind of creepy to me. So I never did."

When asked by Wallace whether he ever felt like he had to hide who he was, Manilow said he "never thought about it."

"Honestly, Chris, it was a non-event," Manilow said. "And when we came out, it was — I think everybody knew that Garry and I were a couple all those years."

Manilow and Garry Kief met in 1978, with Kief later taking on the role of the "Mandy" singer's manager. They tied the knot in 2014, and Manilow says Kief was instrumental in saving his life.

"Garry actually kind of saved my life, because as my career exploded, as I said, it was crazy, and going back to an empty hotel room, you could get into a lot of trouble if you're alone night after night," Manilow explained. "But I met Garry right when everything was exploding, and I didn't have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with."

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