Ted Haggard HBO Documentary: Disgraced Evangelical Will Promote Film, Admit Struggles With Sexuality

Fallen evangelical leader Ted Haggard, who was disgraced by a gay sex/meth scandal in 2006, is back — and he's taking his story to HBO in a documentary called, "The Trials of Ted Haggard."

The New York Post's Don Kaplan reports that Haggard will promote the documentary next month, his first public appearance since the scandal broke:

The coming out is set for next month at a convention of TV critics in LA.

"We look forward to presenting the film, Ted Haggard and his family at a press tour in LA next month," said a spokeswoman for HBO.

When the scandal broke, Haggard was paid a year's salary, about $130,000, and agreed not to talk about it publicly.

But now the former leader of one of the largest churches in the US is free to talk about his downfall and has chosen the semi-annual Television Critics Association press tour in January as his first forum.

"We have released Ted and [his wife] Gayle from their separation agreement with New Life Church," senior pastor Brady Boyd said yesterday in a statement. "They are free to move forward with their lives in any way they choose without any legal constraint from the church."

In the film, by Nancy Pelosi's documentarian daughter Alexandra, Haggard says that he never claimed to be heterosexual and that he still struggles with homosexual impulses. From the AP:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard says in a new documentary that he still struggles with his sexuality yet is committed to his marriage for the sake of his children.

Haggard, 52, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired as senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs in November 2006 after a former male prostitute went public with allegations that Haggard paid him for sex and used methamphetamine.

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A father of five, Haggard had said he bought the drugs but never used them. He confessed to undisclosed "sexual immorality" and has said, "I really did sin."

The Gazette of Colorado Springs reported Thursday that in the documentary, Haggard talks about a lifelong battle with his sexuality _ and that he never claimed to be heterosexual.

"The reason I kept my personal struggle a secret is because I feared that my friends would reject me, abandon me and kick me out, and the church would exile and excommunicate me. And that happened and more," he says.

Haggard's wife, Gayle, says she is committed to Haggard.

"I know to restore the honor to our children is to help restore honor to their father," she says.
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"The Trials of Ted Haggard," directed by Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is set to air Jan. 29 on HBO. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Haggard has agreed to promote the documentary.

Haggard moved his family to Arizona after the scandal and also lived in Texas. He re-emerged last month at a rural Illinois church, where he delivered guest sermons and said he was sexually abused as a second-grader.

He now sells insurance and, in the documentary, says he isn't successful.

"At this stage in my life, I am a loser," he says.

Watch a preview of the documentary here.

Comments

[BeatrixK]

First of all, I hope HBO also show's the documentary 'Jesus Camp' prior to showing this. Ted Haggard is featured in a section of that documentary, and it would be an interesting juxtaposition, to be sure.

The irony is that, if he would just accept himself and his homosexuality, he could make leaps and bounds towards being a happier person. He's laboring under the illusion he can 'cure' himself with therapy, prayer, et. all. His poor wife has to wake up every day being married to a man who can't by any stretch be fully 'present' in their marriage, since he is gay, whether he acknowledges it or not.

[MNmommy]

They can just use *Friends of God* which is one of their own.

[jmcallahan]

HBO...please don't pay this man a penny. He is an insult and does not deserve air time. There are more worthy, honest stories to tell.

[Halfwit]

He is a loser because he won't come out of the damned closet.

[duze]

He's on his way out. "thou doest protest too much"

[BENNYINSF]

I've been an out gay male since turning 20. That was over 23 years ago, and I know that I've never believed that my sexuality was immoral. I haven't been rejected by my family or the people I care about because of my sexual orientation. I don't feel like a loser at all but a winner. I feel very spiritually connected though I shun religions.

Maybe Mr. Haggard should consider real love and acceptance of self rather than living in his self-loathing world. It's a much better world.

[JiminNC]

I heard at all his public appearances they serve Lil Smokies on toothpicks.

[KarateKid]

lmao. Only in America.................

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

He's nothing but a loser trying to make a few bucks without actually working.This is so simple,everyone knows his story, if he had any other skills besides fleecing the flock we wouldn't see him in the news today.This is about money,his gravy train is stopped and he'll do whatever it takes to get it going.I hope anyone that was foolish enough to contribute to these religious TV con men opens their eyes and wallets gives directly to charities that actually help people.

[November2008]

Dear Ted,

For the sake of the children sounds honorable. However, the focus should be for the sake of your wife, if you want to maintain your marriage.

[BlackWidowPilot]

"At this stage in my life, I am a loser,"

Only as long as you continue to deny who you are, only as long as you continue to "bear false witness against..." *yourself* and your *orientation.*

If you would claim to follow the path of Christ, best abandon the heretical Dominionist quackery that binds you to self-destructive emotional and intellectual dishonesty, and read the Bible with an honest heart and mind. You'll discover that God welcomes you, his gay son, with love and acceptance, not the condemnation of the Biblical literalists who cherry pick the Old Testament to advance their venal political agendas.

Open your eyes, Ted Haggard, it is not your orientation that is the sin, but your denial of your own identity, and all the hurt you cause by continuing to do so, to yourself and others.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[philopatris]

Thanks for mentioning "Dominionism," opponents' name for attempts to make Christianity and Old Testament law into a kind of Western Sharia, introducing death penalties for adultery, etc. . I didn't understand who Francis Schaeffer and R J Rushdoony were till I followed the Wiki links from the word. It's significant that Sarah Palin has Dominionist views. That is, she holds that if there aren't strict penal laws against homosexuality and abortion in the US, then as Monty Python put it "God gets quite irate" with us. The Old Testament is still in force, at least as they selectively read it.
The Chalcedon Foundation (Rushdoony) website is hair raising to look at.
I'm glad you led me to look these things up.

[jalowe1957]

Now you know why so many homophobes are self-loathing closet cases.

[13lotus]

haggard didn't go to one the evangelical touted camps to restore "straightness" to a gay afflicted person? i think pat robertson could sponsor him to a 700 club camp that he often advertises....maybe for a discounted price...you know being christian and all....help a fellow out....help him find the right path?!?!?!?!?

[LovingHope]

How sad that this gay man has to hate himself so much. It's really sad. To think this way is truly twisted. And I feel that many religious people feel this way. I think that hating gays means you are afraid of what you really feel inside. Especially because I believe that we all my be attracted to each other. to some is not a a strong attraction and to others it might be love. But to hate yourself for feeling that way is just plain sad. Especially because it's part of nature. I never understand this hatred and fear of homosexuality.

[Muskered]

I don't like peas, and I'm glad I don't like peas, because if I liked peas I would eat them, and I HATE peas!

[coolmaiden]

What in the lord is wrong with his wife? She's committed to a man that is not sexually attracted to her? Is she a masochist? I'm all for working out problems in marriage, but I'm pretty sure this isn't one that can be fixed. What's wrong with these people?

[clearthinker2008]

It must suck being gay and hating gays at the same time. No pun intended.

[duze]

He doesn't hate gays. He's trying to justify why he will come out and stop fighting this battle that he tried to win for sooooooooo long. BULL. He's tired of lying, tired of her and tired of people asking him about his preferences. After the show, which is really his introduction. He'll break down and admit to the world he TRIED. BULL.