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>> FRANK PRENDERGAST - One of the things you talk about in your book is how it was a bit
difficult when you were growing up. Why was it important for you to get that across to
your readers?
>> BRAD GORESKI - You know I really felt like I have a small platform to kind of be a voice
and to tell my story because it's something I've wanted to tell for a while especially
with what's be going on with the high rate of gay teen suicide and the amount of bullying
that is now so public in schools and cyber bullying and I just wanted people to know
you can make it through and as tough as it was for me sometimes, having the support of
my family was obviously invaluable but just also not ever, I say in the book "you hear
what the bullies are saying but you don't have to believe it". And I think that that
has been very true for me. You know, I think at some point you stop hearing what's being
said about you and you can either kind of take that information and bring it on as who
you are or actually start finding out who you are. I think for me that was the way I
kind of learn to like myself and it's also the thing that made me this. That allowed
me to really come out of my shell when I stopped caring because I, for a while I tried to blend
in with everybody and it didn't really work and I was morbidly unhappy and I would rather
now somebody yell *** at me on the street when I'm dressed like this then I would be
wearing jeans and a t-shirt 'cause I'd rather just be myself.
>> FRANK PRENDERGAST - It's interesting because people will see you and think of the success
and somehow he was able to do it. But I think a lot of kids could maybe relate to the feelings
that you had do you want to maybe talk about how difficult it was at times when you were
growing up and you new you were different.
>> BRAD GORESKI - It's funny now because I'm so out in the public world with the book and
my TV show and with my job and I feel like I spent so many years hiding and actually
physically hiding from my other classmates and eating in stairwells and hiding out in
the drama room and never going into the cafeteria and getting my mom to drive me to school so
I didn't have to be on the bus and I'm so happy now I feel like I'm so out in a big
way and my relationship, I've been with my boyfriend for over ten years now and on my
show Brad Brad World that was very much a storyline. I feel that that was also really
important to have out in the world that we have a completely normal relationship. We
don't fight with either other, we're not bickering, we like watching TV and eating pizza and hanging
out with our dogs and travelling and we have the same problems as every other couple. So
I really was happy that the response to our relationship was so positive.
>> FRANK PRENDERGAST - And I just want to go back to when you were young again if you
could say one thing to the boy that you see then. What would you say to him to help him?
>> BRAD GORESKI - I would say to him to wear what you want to school everyday because they are going to call you names no
matter what and I did eventually do that. I think I just gave up at a point. I was like
"I don't care". And now that kind of dress-up and that kind of love of clothes has turned
into my livelyhood. I'm happy that my family pushed me to express myself.
>> FRANK PRENDERGAST - Well thank you very much
>> BRAD GORESKI - Yeah thank you very much. Nice to meet you. And you.�