After welcoming his twin sons in August of 2008 and coming out publicly as a gay man in March of 2010 on his website, Ricky Martin sat down with Oprah to discuss his journey of becoming a father and coming out to the world.
Original Air Date:
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Guests:
Oprah welcomed Grammy winner Ricky Martin to the show.
Show Summary:
At 12 years old he made all the young girls scream as part of the group Menudo. In 1999 he was at the top of the charts making the ladies swoon when shaking his hips. On August 6, 2008 he welcomed his twin baby boys with open arms as a single father. And on March 29, 2010 he announced to the world that he is a homosexual man and he found peace and liberation as he embraced his truth. Ricky Martin has impacted many lives over the past 25 years, but in his memoir Me he reveals the depth of his pain from living a lie and the deep joy in his life from loving honestly.
Special Highlights:
This episode featured the following highlights:
- Ricky Martin had a long career in the music business, but through the years had dodged questions about his sexuality and chose instead to bring the focus back to his entertaining. On March 29, 2010, he reached the point where he could no longer lie about his life and came out publicly as a gay man on his website.
- Saying that it's all in your head, Ricky Martin revealed that the fear he had been feeling was self inflicted and he just had to come to the place in his life where he was ready to be completely honest.
- Becoming a single father on August 6, 2008 when his twin sons were born via a surrogate mother and donor eggs, Ricky Martin's life in Florida with his boys is the way he always dreamed it would be.
- Ricky performed his latest single with Joss Stone - "The Best Thing About Me Is You"
What to Take Away from the Show:
While it is always great to see someone find liberation in their life by embracing their authentic self without fear, the biggest lesson of the show was watching fans and viewers share how they found strength and inspiration in Ricky Martin's story. One fan shared how his relationship with his mother suffered because she didn't fully embrace him as a gay man, but when Ricky Martin, an important figure in the Latino community came out, it brought a level of understanding and someone to identify with, which is paving the way for others to be honest about themselves.
Products Featured in This Episode:
Ricky Martin - 'Me'
Celebra Hardcover
Ricky Martin's memoir Me tells of his journey through childhood, becoming a member of the hit group Menudo, breaking out as solo artist, relationships, coming to terms and accepting his sexuality, and embracing fatherhood as a single dad.
