Was Michel Gay Or Just French?

Stars Hollow and the world of Gilmore Girls revolved around relationships, but never included an openly gay character or relationship. For heaven’s sake, the guys in the Bunheads ballet troupe came off more testosteroney than some of the camp, eccentric and colourful characters in the Hollow. Do you think any of the Gilmore Girls characters was genuinely closeted?

There were a number of secondary characters whose backstories were never told. Andrew for instance, the bookseller at Stars Hollow Books who made a fine hunk (of marble) as Poussin’s statue, Moissonneur or ‘The Reaper’.

How about Michel? His love for Céline Dion was legendary…

Michel: I have been waiting forever to get this close to Céline. Oh, my god, I’m shaking like a leaf. What should I wear? What would Céline like me in?

…but his mannerisms often seemed to be attributed to his general eccentricities. Gypsy the mechanic never seemed to be with anyone but she also never seemed to need to be with anyone. Tobin the night desk clerk? Sookie’s midwife doula, Bruce? Or Brad, Rory’s classmate and one-time Broadway starlet?

Brad: Through good times and bad, Chilton formed us, brought us hope, honed our insight, gave us encouragement. Though my time here was briefly interrupted by my period spent on Broadway hanging out with Stephen Sondheim, I still consider Chilton the most rewarding experience of my young life. Now it had always been my plan in closing to recite a short poem I’d written.
Louise: (to Madeline) But you reconsidered.
Madeline: Come on, Brad. Go out a winner.
Brad: But as I read it aloud, I realized the sentiments I wanted to share with my fellow students were better expressed in a favourite song of mine. [He sings] Cherish is the word I use to describe… Bong, bong. Bong, bong. 
Rory: Oh, Brad.

For a show that was all about relationships, was a gay coupling noticeably absent? What difference would having an openly gay character or couple in the recurring cast have made? Who do you think might have been closeted?  Or nobody?  Was Michel gay, just French or something else altogether?

Filed Under Bunheads, Characters, Discussions, Gilmore Girls, Quotes, Stars Hollow, Taylor Doose, TV Shows
Tagged With brad ellis, Characters, chilton, gilmore girls characters, gypsy, Michel Gerard, relationships, Stars Hollow