Ne-Yo Punked

My free daily paper disclosed the news that a singer heretefore unknown to me, but apparently a major one, has just come out. The 'press release' floating around the internet is as follows:

Singer Ne-yo Announces He Is Gay
Essence Magazine August 23,2006

The newly famed singer/songwriter has came out of the closet and announced that he is gay. The multi-platinum recording artist sat down for the October issue of Essence Magazine last week and announced the shocking news stating, "Yes, I am gay, and I have always been." After several internet rumors have been circulating around the internet. He also said, "You now this world we live in is full of judgement, resulting in one of the reasons why it took me so long to come out of the closet." Earlier this month, a man by the name of Derrick Johnson claimed that he had an intimate relationship with the singer during there teen years in high school. He also said that for months the singer and Def Jam has been trying to pay him to keep quiet over the ordeal. Worrying that it would destroy his image. Ne-yo responds saying, that the relationship did occur and he is no longer ashamed of saying that he was deeply in love. Reciting "That situation was what inspired me to write the song Unfaithful. But no one knew it was actually about myself, and our relationship." He told Essence that he doesn't care anymore, he was tired of living a lie and is ready to come clean. Quoting, "the music industry can either except me for who I am, or desert me." The full interview with the magazine is expected to hit stands mid-October.

Barbra Stradoff,
Essence Magazine

Come on folks, magazines don't send out press releases to preempt their forthcoming scoops. And as subliterate as journalism has become, its not as subliterate as this typo-ridden "press release." Anyone circulating this in all seriousness is making an ass of themselves more than anything.

Still, I saw some photos of this Ne-Yo stripped to the waist during my research, and I hope he is gay, or at least available.