‘The View’ Former Co-Host Star Jones’ Ex-Husband Says Jones Knew He Identified as Bisexual
Fans of The View remember Star Jones’s journey to the altar with Al Reynolds. In fact, the discussion of her wedding caused friction between her and co-star Joy Behar. Reynolds and Jones split after nearly four years of marriage, with rumors surrounding Reynolds’ sexuality front and center. He came out a bisexual a few years ago and now says Jones was always aware of his sexuality.
A recap of Al Reynolds and Star Jones’ marriage
Reynolds proposed to Jones during a basketball game. They wed in a lavish ceremony in 2004 in New York City.
The wedding was a reported multi-million dollar affair. Jones had 15 bridesmaids and a reception at the Waldorf-Astoria.
ABC later cited the wedding and sponsorship controversy as one of the reasons for cutting her from the round table.
Related: ‘The View:’ Joy Behar Called This Former Co-Host A ‘Bridezilla’
Jones would later admit to regretting having such a public wedding, telling Entertainment Tonight in the Spring of 2008:
“Several years ago I made an error in judgment by inviting the media into the most intimate area of my life A month ago I filed for divorce. The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone’s life that requires privacy with one’s thoughts. I have committed myself to handling this situation with dignity and grace and look forward to emerging from this period as a stronger and wiser woman.”
Star Jones, Entertainment Tonight
Al Reynolds comes out as bisexual
Reynolds came out as bisexual in 2017, months before Jones married Ricardo Lugo. Reynolds shared his story with Radar Online in an exclusive.
“Ever since I have been in the public eye, people have been speculating on my sexuality. And ‘speculating’ is a kind word for how it actually played out. With anger and disdain, people have been calling me out as gay, closeted, a sham, and even nastier; much nastier,” Reynolds began.
Related: This Former Co-Host of ‘The View’ Quit On The Air
Reynolds’ decision to come out he says was to inspire others to live in their truth and to find their happiness. “Today I accept myself as a bisexual man. I have learned that sexual orientation is not binary, at least for me. I am capable of loving both sexes, and I have done both,” he continued. “My relationships, all of them, have been honest and based on my attraction to the other person. When I am in love I don’t equivocate, nor do I waver.”
As to why he remained mum about his sexuality, Reynolds attributed such to his religious upbringing. He grew up in the south as a devout Baptist and witnessed firsthand how the church condemned anything outside of heterosexuality.
Al Reynolds says he was upfront about his sexuality with Star Jones
Jones has chosen to remain relatively mum about Reynold’s sexuality. Many wonder if Jones knew of Reynolds’ sexuality during their marriage. Per Reynolds, Jones was made aware of him being bisexual from the start of the relationship.
Madame Noire reports of Reynolds’ recent interview with on the ASAP: Another Shawn Allen Podcast in which Reynolds addresses the speculation.
“I went to my ex-wife and I said — remember, at that time, she was probably, besides Oprah, one of the largest Black women entertainers in the business,” he said. “She was a household name. So I knew that if I was going to rock with her, I had to be 100 percent transparent with her. And I was. There was no reason for me not to be transparent.”
Reynolds says he is not the first bisexual man Jones loved. “Anybody who knows my ex-wife, I was not the first bisexual man that she was involved with okay? [laughs]. The guy that she was engaged with before she met me was a bisexual man,” he said. “He came out shortly after she got married as gay so I’m not the first bisexual man that she was involved with.”
He now says he’s secure in his sexuality and credits a more liberal generation with having an open dialogue about the “spectrum” of sexuality for such.
