John Mayer has responded to speculation about the nature of his friendship with Andy Cohen.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week, the talk show host was asked about his close friendship with the musician. In response, he said they loved and were “so affectionate” with each other but were “definitely not” in a romantic relationship.
Days after Cohen’s interview was published, Mayer wrote a letter to the outlet to set the record straight.
“I read your interview with Andy Cohen, and was intrigued by your line of questioning regarding our friendship,” he began. “You posited that ‘your friendship with Mayer has been a subject of intense speculation. People seem dubious that a straight rock star can have a close platonic relationship with a gay TV personality.'”
Mayer explained that there is a “long and storied history” of musicians “befriending gay icons and artists”.
“Second, I think that to suggest that people are dubious of a friendship like mine and Andy’s is to undermine the public’s ability to accept and understand diversity in all facets of culture, be it in art or in real life,” he continued. “I’d like to think they’re sophisticated enough to see a relationship like ours without assuming it must include a sexual component. That turns the concept of being gay into an ignorantly two-dimensional one, which I know you know it’s not. I don’t question that at all.”
Mayer explained that he “bristle(d)” at the reporter’s “deeply flawed” line of questioning because it reinforces the idea that the nature of a relationship needs to be clarified as sexual or not, something he believes “devoids everyone involved of their dignity”.
He added, “Quite simply, if someone is dubious of a platonic relationship between a straight man and a gay man, I don’t think that shallow a view deserves clarification by anyone with self respect, be it Andy or your publication.”
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