Barry Manilow’s Gay Marriage: Pop Star ‘Thrilled’ To Come Out

Barry Manilow has gone public about The National ENQUIRER's bombshell scoop on the pop star's secret gay wedding — calling it “a blessing and a curse.” The "Copacabana" singer wed his longtime manager Garry Kief in April 2014 in what was supposed to be a top-secret ceremony. Barry now admits that he was staying in the closet because he didn't want to lose his fans!

“I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay," said Barry. "So I never did anything.” Instead, admits Barry, The ENQUIRER coverage couldn't have made the couple happier: “The press has wanted to get into my pants ever since 1974. Suddenly The ENQUIRER comes [along]. I was thrilled about the reaction to it.”

Before that, however, Barry had stayed in the closet while becoming one of music's true superstars. That included a 1962 marriage to Susan Diexler, which lasted less than a year before Barry set out on what he called "a wondrous musical adventure."

But sources who spilled the beans to The ENQUIRER scoffed at the idea of Barry insisting on hiding his love life.  Barry and Gary didn't even file the paperwork to formalize their union out of fear the big news would leak, one insider said at the time. “Barry is paranoid that his fans would not approve of him being gay — when in reality, many have suspected it for years, and most wouldn’t care!”