Chelsea Handler Likes Gays, But Not Tori Spelling

In a new interview with The Advocate, Chelsea Handler discusses being a gay “icon”, but distances herself from Tori Spelling with a 10 foot pole.

How do you explain your strong connection with the gay community?

I├óΓé¼Γäóm like a gay man trapped in a woman├óΓé¼Γäós body, and that├óΓé¼Γäós exactly why the gays and I get along so well. We have the same attitude, which is ├óΓé¼┼ôfuck everybody and let├óΓé¼Γäós say exactly what we think.├óΓé¼┬¥ I understand somebody who doesn├óΓé¼Γäót exactly fit in, somebody who├óΓé¼Γäós struggled or felt embarrassed, ashamed, or not confident in who they are. Growing up, I got tortured and made fun of, but that makes you a lot stronger. And now, obviously, I├óΓé¼Γäóm very popular.

But your late mother was Mormon. Did that affect your thoughts on homosexuality?

Well, we kept the Mormon side down to a dull roar growing up, because we realized how ridiculous and intolerant that religion is. My mom was never really a typical devout Mormon. After my brother passed away when he was 21 years old, my mom turned to religion, as many people do, but she was very tolerant of other religions. It was a melding of religions in our household, which worked out well because we├óΓé¼Γäóre all open to anything├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥and, as a final result, not religious at all. Organized religion, more than anything else, is completely inappropriate.

Did you attend any Prop. 8 protests or rallies?

I only go where the gay people invite me to go. It├óΓé¼Γäós not nice to do things for the community only when people are looking. People who speak out for gay people just so that they can create a fan base annoy the shit out of me. People like Tori Spelling. She doesn├óΓé¼Γäót have compassion for them. She├óΓé¼Γäós not going out doing things for them. She├óΓé¼Γäós like, ├óΓé¼┼ôOh, I have such a huge gay following.├óΓé¼┬¥ It├óΓé¼Γäós because no one else is following her!