The celebrity biographer opened up to close friend and talk show host Stephen Seares about his "life-long burden" in a very emotional interview on the early Sunday morning show.
Jernigan was asked to appear on the show to talk about politics and his support of Hillary Clinton when Seares questions turned personal.
"yes I'm gay..,and I've carried this secret with me all my life and I just can't do it anymore," Jernigan explained to the conservative radio audience. "It's a hard thing to go through life with such a heavy burden on your shoulders and having no one to talk to about it. There's still such a stigma in the Christian world when it comes to being gay. I was always so afraid I'd lose all my friends and even some of my family, I believe Jesus calls us to live genuine lives--well, here's the real me," said the author.
But the ebb of the show lightened up considerably when several of Jernigan's celebrity friends called into the studio to lend their support.
"I'm sitting here in tears," said actor Ezra Miller. "It's a horrific thing to come out for some--especially when you come from a culture like Mormonism. I have the greatest respect, love and admiration for what you've just done, my friend. You rock in my book, sir..."
Out of at least 35 callers there was overwhelming support of Jernigan's heart-felt confession.
Jernigan recently released the book, The Life and career of Marie Osmond, and will be releasing a new biography of Ellen DeGeneres before years end.
Randy Jernigan with author Les Bailey
