Ted Haggard, Oprah Interview: Haggard And Wife Discuss Gay Sex Scandal (VIDEO)

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Disgraced Pastor ted Haggard's fall from grace was swift and devastating. Once one of America's most influential religious figures, he all but disappeared from the public square when it was revealed that he had been engaging in sexual relations with a male escort and was paying him to score crystal meth.

Since his downfall Haggard has made a couple forays back into public life, like when he claimed to have undergone intensive "restoration" which made him into a "complete heterosexual" (which was then disputed by the new pastor of Haggard's church, who said Haggard quit the program early and was not yet completely "restored"). However, he is now on a promotional blitz for his new HBO documentary, "The Trials of Ted Haggard," made by Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Haggard, along with his wife Gayle, took to the Oprah Winfrey show today to promote the documentary and discuss his life-long struggle with his attraction to men. He also addresses new allegations that he had a cash-for-sex relationship with a young, male church volunteer for over three years. Haggard writes:

Oprah, I did not reveal the relationship on your show out of privacy concerns--even though there was never any physical contact. I have regretted my irresponsible behavior. I apologized to Grant, my family and the church two years ago. I now ask him again for his forgiveness as well as the people of the church.

Watch clips of Haggard and his wife on "Oprah" below.

Haggard on the 'dark and repulsive' part of his life coming to the surface.

Haggard on his therapist telling him he's a 'heterosexual with homosexual attachments' and being sexually abused by one his father's employees when he was in the second grade.

Haggard on allowing himself to have sexual thoughts about men and his wife and children seeing him as a "sinner" for the first time.

Haggard's wife, Gayle, on knowing about Haggard's struggle with same-sex attraction and their "amazing, highly intimate relationship" and "great sex life," and why she stayed married to him.

Comments

[american-dolt]

Fake phoney, sting em up

[sandra dee]

Wow, there are a whole lot of judgmental people writing today. The guy is bi-sexual. He likes them both (men and women). Women of the world wake up! There are so many more men like that whose wives just don't know. This is not some rare thing, its just this guy and his wife have been pretty brave to share the story. It sounds reasonable that his being molested by his fathers employee had an impact. The big clue is that he still loves sex with his wife and it's good. I think they gain nothing by lying about it. Good for them for trying to work it out. Maybe the guy will find some peace, no doubt it will be difficult. Maybe it is more useful to learn from the process they are going through, than ONLY judging him on his actions and wanting to label him. NO ONE knows for sure!

[lunchlady]

I hope that the overall effect of Ted's continuing presence in the news is that more people both gay and otherwise see that denying or overcoming gayness just doesn't work very well. I think that sexual preference is somehow built in or otherwise determined early on and nothing will change it.
Watching Ted and his wife just makes their situation seem sad and even ridiculous. Continuing to hold on to religious beliefs that conflict with your basic nature is utterly self-defeating.

[9liberal]

What makes me sad about these religious wingnuts is that they don't get it. He is gay...his therapist needs to help him deal with the fact that he is GAY.....GA­Y.......GA­Y.......GA­Y. Now, I am straight and have never had thoughts about doing it with anyone from the same sex...I mean maybe he could be bi...but he can't call himself straight...that I know. And maybe we should get to a point where we stop labeling people...but I think we can only get there if religious people back off, and just accept.

Why can't those people just admit it...I guess they first need to learn that there is nothing wrong with it...it sounds like mr haggard needs to watch that show prayers for bobby.

[MyGuyO]

What is it with these religious fanatics. They think they can just tell their story of their dastardly deeds and they will be exonnarated? I do not feel sorry for this family.

[maxfax]

He cheated on his wife, his partner, first and foremost.

[leftoflennon]

Lady, I'm sorry to tell ya this but you are married to a GAY MAN.

You will just be hurting yourself and your children in the long run.

Cut your losses, even though it may hurt.

He...is...GAY!

[rightsize2005]

Listening to her (sounding so sincere), brings this song to mind "stand by your man"

I admire her, many women left their husbands for far less, Ted, you are one lucky gay/straig­ht/complex guy.

[JimJones1996]

Ted Haggard is a reminder of what the real issue is. Homosexuality is not the problem. THE CLOSET is the problem. If Mr. Haggard thought he could live happily as an openly gay man, he would have done so. But because society told him that straight is the only acceptable way to be, he tried to live that li(f)e.

I hope he can one day overcome his fear and live as he desires. Openly and honestly. Mr. Haggard, I highly recommend you watch a YouTube video called "MAYBE GAY RAY."

[rightsize2005]

True words, accept who you are...atleast try to

[DCCommuter]

Maybe things would be a lot easier for everyone if we never ask men "Are you gay?" 99% will say no. Just ask them: Are you a man that has sex with men? That is called the category "MSM."

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

I am as queer as a 3 dollar bill and I loathe televangelists but I kinda feel sorry for Ted. It was sad watching him on Oprah and watching the documentary about him. He is closer to admitting who he really is than ever but still has a long way to go.

One point I do wish to point out to those who want to castigate him - he claims (and I do not have any evidence one way or the other) that he never bashed gays in his sermons or personal dealings with his "flock". If so, that does sort of ameliorate any harm he has done IMHO.

[TheBlackCat]

He compared homosexuals to murderers in one interview I saw with him (prior to the scandal). People asked him what he thought of gay pride parade and he said "well then why don't we just have a murderer's pride parade while we're at it."

[swellsoire]

"I Love A Parade!"

[DeeW]

I didn't watch all of the interview because I found it just too sad. And Oprah wasn't asking the right question ... altho maybe she did eventually.

Basically he thinks there's something wrong with being gay and that's just sad. He, and people like him, should just accept people for who they are and stop talking for their "god".

Be yourself - gay or straight. Be happy.

[leftoflennon]

SO true. I came in late from work and didn't catch it.

[maxfax]

That's what he said; do yourself a favor DeeW and watch all the clips, and Larry King's interview with him repeated Sunday night.

[JohnnyKay]

I've yet to hear an apology to the gay and lesbian community.

No surprise self styled 'Christians' have cobneveniently forgotten all the steps to Atonement: making your Victim(s) whole or as whole as possible, as they were before you harmed them.

Even if the only Victim is yourself, which in this case, isn't true at all.

Too bad Reincarnation was anathematized by a Nicene Council for the sole reason the 20,000 Gnostic 'Chriastians' in Rome at the time, didn't want to have to come back and atone for their mistakes and evils.

Just because it was outlawed by selfish people so long ago, doesn't mean the Balance of the Universe and of God isn't in full swing still.

And it is.

Karma has always existed and always will.

Good luck, all hypocrites and liars.

[outloudfll]

Actually I heard him apologize with my own gay ears on Nightline...it was about a minute into the interview right after he admitted to being a hypocrite and a liar.

To his credit, unlike most hypocrites in the evangelical world, he seems to get it. I guess being rejected in the same un-Christ-like manner usually reserved for us made an impression. One of the few I've come across that actually recognizes that judgmental attitude for the hate that it is.

So now that he's dished it out and taken it, does that make him versatile? :)

[rightsize2005]

Actually, this is not about the Gays or Christians. Its about one man and his problems, problems he and his family has to deal with

[swellsoire]

No! It is far more than that! He railed for years against homosexuals while he was having gay sex. He is trying to regain his stature so that he can, once again, make money by appealing to the lowest common denominator.

[harriettubman]

Ted could've been another Jim McGreevey and took his selfish lust to live with a man. However, he didn't do that. He knew he made a family and had to support them. He knew he made a family and wanted to try and heal them. He searched day and night after losing a job due to his behavior. He searched for work day and night for months to keep his family together.

He's come clean to his wife and older children about his secret life and that's the #1 rule. When a person is trying to recover they must tell the truth.

It must be hard lusting after something in life but not acting on it. However, I do not buy what his therapist told him, that he's a heterosexual with h*om*o*se*xu*al attachment?!!! WTH? That's a new one in the ICD9 book.

There are men & women. There's nothing else that enters the picture of se*xu*ality unless its deviant. New diagnosis is just to make a person feel better. I hope his wife has gone to the doctor for an exam.

[swellsoire]

His entire existence has been a sham. He is bisexual. There is no cure for this. It is not a sickness. It is natural for people to be either homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual.

[Mercy8 om]

The issue isn't his actions or attractions or the elements of his marriage. The issue is a theology that condemns certain sexual proclivities between consenting adults. This man is bisexual. So what? The only reason that it's an issue is because of some folks peculiar notion that that which is called god cares what kinds of bodies love what kinds of other bodies. The confusion is typically human. We all have confusion about things...some folks have sexual orientation confusion. The ongoing suffering is self inflicted by a willingness to see certain sexual alliances as sinful and blasphemous to god. When people consider the small vision they have of the god they otherwise consider to be infinite they will see that the contradiction is theirs and they will be free from all limiting notions of of god and of what kinds of bodies should love other bodies.

I know the misinformed will think I am condoning child molesting but I am not. I am speaking about consenting adults only. I also know that the misinformed wil think I am condoning beastiality but I am not. I am speaking about consenting adults only. These last two arguments indicate a lack of knowledge about human and adult sexuality combined with the fear that is engendered by the notions of a manmade limited god. One day this will be seen just as absurd as slavery is today. And that day can not come too soon for many of us.

[mercury613]

Thank you for your post, especially this part:

"When people consider the small vision they have of the god they otherwise consider to be infinite they will see that the contradiction is theirs and they will be free from all limiting notions of of god and of what kinds of bodies should love other bodies."

It never ceases to amaze me that people who believe in God's infinite love so often also believe that God is unjust, petty, jealous, and vengeful.