Daniel Radcliffe is Down with the Divas

Photo: Devin Elijah

Move over Hermione, Daniel Radcliffe has a new BFF: 2008 Out 100 honoree Our Lady J. The Telegraph reports that the 19-year-old actor, equally beloved for his roles the Harry Potter series and the naked horse play, and the self-proclaimed "Gospel-singing Glamazon" have been hitting the town together.

"He and Our Lady J got on like a house on fire," said a source. "They have eaten out together and been to parties. They have become quite close... Daniel is fascinated by the drag culture and is always asking questions."

Too bad Our Lady J isn't a drag queen (is it really too much to ask people to stop viewing drag queens, transgendered people, transvestites, and others involved in gender fuckery as indistinguishable and interchangeable?). When we read this story we went straight to the source herself and asked for a comment. Though the singer-songwriter said she isn't speaking to the press about her friendship with Radcliffe because she values his privacy she did release this statement to Out:

"I have no comment on Daniel, except that we support each other as artists. And I'd like to clarify that I'm not a Dolly-Parton-impersonating drag queen: I am a singing/songwriting/piano-playing woman (of transexual experience, if you must). And I happen to be a very powerful witch, so don't fuck with me fellas!"

Trust us, she ain't kidding. If you want to learn more about Our Lady J (and you do! You do!) head over to her website for all the latest news or her MySpace page for more pics, songs, and info.

To see Our Lady J in the 2008 Golden Age of Hollywood Out 100 portfolio click here.

--JESSANNE COLLINS and NOAH MICHELSON

Previously > Pattinson thinks Little Ashes's sex scenes are the best

Comments

[Tom]

He had such a promising career.

[Tom]

I'm sorry, but to say you respect his privacy is laughable. If she'd have respected it at all, she wouldn't have mentioned him by name in the first place in her twitter, she would have just said delish dinner with good friend. Ppl that knew her would know this and it wouldn't have been crawled by lazy journo types.

"support each other as artists" translates as something is going on but I'm not talking about it yet as I've got some $$$$$ coming from selling the story. And can you blame her? This story will have made her more famous than say Susan Boyle while relegating him down to doing panto next year. Sad thing is, the buzz on his "Journey" is reportedly over.

[Dawne]

Tom is spot on. A real friend (gay/straight/trans/queen/etc) and respescting artist wouldn't name drop to be begin with especially on a place like Twitter. Her "friends" adding fuel to it to the media and NOW she respects his privacy? Sorry honey, you can't have it both ways. Posting it on a public blog/forum means you want the attention that you're connected to a big star.

It's just unprofessional and hypocritical since she seems to be enjoying this attention now and continues to comment on it. Name dropping is never cool in my book if you really respect the person and their privacy.

[Will B.]

Oh please, like you wouldn't want to brag a little to your friends by posing on YOUR twitter/facebook/blog/whatever if you had dinner with such a hot- er, talented young man? There's a huge diff between mentioning it once and being willing to share any sort of personal details. She's a normal human being for being excited about knowing a major star, and a more decent human being than most by knowing when to show discretion.

[Tom]

No one is saying anything of the sort. She herself said that she respected his privacy, yet clearly and blatantly disrespected his privacy by mentioning him by name. Plus, in her own statement she has made the situation 10 times worse and kept this whole sorry sage continuing all for her own attention seeking needs. Let’s not forget here that she is an entertainer. Her whole statement shouts out that there’s more to this story so keep on looking at me and maybe you’ll know more. She herself keeps on referring to this in ALL her blogs. It is just more and more attention to her and more and more damage to him. If the story is fully factual, then why is she now mentioning him when they are supposed to have been friends for over 6 months? Why did she have to mention him by name? To show off and get herself attention. If, and this is a big if, she is friends with him, she’s shown him nothing but disrespect. He is a very talented young man in more ways than just acting and his light needs to shine longer. Everything is all from her point of view.

[Leon]

Why is it that by them having dinner and hanging out together such a big deal? People hang out together in public, people will see that, so why can't someone twitter about it? Someone will say something regardless of who posted it.
Are you saying his career is heading down because Our Lady J is trans? What's the real bias here?

[Tom]

There is a lot I can't say, but what I've said is not meant to be negative, more of a warning. This story is not dead, not by a long shot. Its rumblings are only just starting to grow and the focus of this is him primarily.

[Bette]

It's not that she's made it worse, it's already all over the place. What is worse is that it's already been mishmashed and exaggerated beyond what she's posted. Of course she's going to try to correct misinformation. Wouldn't you?

[Will B.]

So really respecting his privacy would mean never publicly acknowledging their friendship, and completely ignoring the media's coverage, not even correcting their inaccuracies? You haven't said it in these extreme terms, but it's the logical result of the sort of secrecy you seem to be advocating. And I just don't buy it.

If a non-trans woman had made a one-sentence mention about knowing him, there might be a little media interest, but it wouldn't be that big a deal compared to all the other celebrity gossip. Blame the media for making such a big deal out of nothing, don't blame her for acting like pretty much anyone else would. Transsexuals have the same right to make friends as anyone else - even with famous people who they will understandably be just as excited to know as anyone else would - and shouldn't be expected to hide away in a corner lest the media freak out about it.

[michaelj72]

take it easy Tom. they're friends and these celebrity types see each other and mention each other from time to time i don't really see any harm in it. they both sound like interesting types and it would be fun to go out to dinner with them, especially with daniel as he's smart and handsome. I'd at least drop his name once to friends or on my blog if we did, so Will is right.....

[Tania Jane Taylor]

Pretty much what Michael says above really. If OLJ hadn't mentioned it, then it would be 'DR in secret liaison' type story, as the paps follow him around a lot (well, they do in the UK). DR had been widely reported a while back as being interested in doing a drag role in a movie, so he's unlikely to want to keep his association with a trans person secret, and it isn't going to lead to his fans boycotting HP movies and burning the DVDs in the streets. Everyone who's seen OLJ's shows think she's fab, just wish she'd invite me to dinner! (hint, I'm available around the time of the Manchester show :D )

[kristenwvu]

For pete sake, who cares if he is dating/friends with olj. He is a very talented young man and his personal life is his own. Ask yourself one question when reading this rediculous story, what if this was me? How would you feel if people watched and judged your every move/relationship. My advice for Dan is to live, laugh, love(whomever it is) and be happy with your life, it is too f***ing short. As for olj, shame on her for making Dan's life a little harder, if he truly cared for him and his privacy just shut the F*** up!

[cfg]

why i expected the level of intelligence and sympathy on OUT.com to be so much higher than what i just read, i don't know. Tom's a moron.