偶像励志英语演讲 第82期:做真正的自己(4)

　　Then my career turned into-I got my own sitcom¹, and that was very successful, another level of success. And I thought, "what if they find out I'm gay², then they'll never watch," and this was a long time ago, this was when we just had white presidents-but anyway this was back, many years ago-and I finally decided³ that I was living with so much shame, and so much fear, that I just couldn't live that way anymore, and I decided to come out and make it creative. And my character would come out at the same time, and it wasn't to make a political statement, it wasn't to do anything other than to free myself up from this heaviness that I was carrying around, and I just wanted to be honest. And I thought, "What's the worst that could happen? I can lost my career." I did. I lost my career. The show was cancelled after six years, without even telling me, I read it in the paper. The phone didn't ring for three years. I had no offers. Nobody wanted to touch me at all. And yet, I was getting letters from kids that almost committed suicide⁴, but didn't, because of what I did. And I realised that I had a purpose. And it wasn't just about me and it wasn't about celebrity⁵, but I felt like I was being punished...it was a bad time, I was angry, I was sad, and then I was offered a talkshow. And the people that offered me the talkshow tried to sell it. And most stations didn't want to pick it up. Most people didn't want to buy it because they thought nobody would watch me.
接着，我有了自己的喜剧，也很成功，并且是更大的成功。我又在想，要是人们发现我是同性恋，该怎么办？他们再也不会看我的节目了。这是很早以前的事情，你们可能不知道，这是我们的总统都还是白人的时候，那是多年前的事了。我一直都是带着羞耻和恐惧而活，我最终决定，我不能再这么活着了。我最终决定将这个秘密公之于众，要有创造性，同时也要将我真实的个性展示出来。不是为了政治，也不是为了其他原因，只是要把我从背负已久的沉重的枷锁中解脱出来。我只是想要诚实。我想不会有更惨的事情了。失去演艺事业。在我做了六年节目后，电台在没有告知我本人的情况下就停播了我的节目。我是在看了报纸后才知道的。家里的电话三年没有响过，没人想让我做节目，没人愿意接触我。后来我接到了想要自杀的孩子的来信，他们是因为我所做的事情而没有自杀。我才知道我活在世上是有目的的，不仅仅是因为我，不仅仅是因为我是名人，我好像是在被惩罚。那段时间很艰难，我很愤怒，也很难过。但接着有人找我做脱口秀节目。制作单位想要卖出节目，但大多数的电视台都不想要，大多数人都不想要买，因为他们认为没人想看我的节目。
重点讲解：
1. turn into
（使）变成；（使）成为；
eg. We saw their hope turn into a snare⁶, and their rejoicing⁷ into weeping.
我们看到他们的希望化为泡影，他们的欢乐变成哀泣。
eg. In this case , twists and turns can turn into treasures.
于是挫折与坎坷就转化为了人生的财富。
2. find out
发现，找出，查明；
eg. That man used artful means to find out secrets.
那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
eg. We'd better find out how the land lies before taking any action.
我们最好把情况弄清楚再采取行动。
3. come out
公开同性恋身份；
eg. I came out as a lesbian when I was still in my teens.
我才十几岁的时候，就公开了自己的同性恋身份。
eg. Some may keep their sexuality a secret, while others may decide to come out.
一些人可能将他们的性取向保密，而另一些人，则决定出柜。
4. other than
（用于否定陈述后）除了…以外；
eg. To the untravelled, territory other than their own familiar heath is invariably⁸ fascinating.
没有旅行过的人，对家乡以外的陌生地方总是很着迷。
eg. We have no alternative other than to follow the sense of our own experience.
除了根据我们的经验以外，没有其他办法。
5. free up
使解脱出来；使空出来；
eg. The offer is free up his contract with a permanent deal.
我们提出的条件是结束他现有的合同，并代以一份新的正式合约。
eg. It'll free up the dead capital and allow all this wealth to materialize.
这将解放被束缚着的资本，让这些财富物质化。

1 sitcom   

n.情景喜剧，（广播、电视的）系列幽默剧

参考例句：

• This sitcom is produced in cooperation with Hong Kong TV.这部连续剧是同香港电视台联合制作的。
• I heard that a new sitcom is coming out next season.我听说下一季会推出一个新的情境喜剧。

2 gay   

adj.同性恋的；色彩鲜艳的；n.(男)同性恋者

参考例句：

• I don't know he was a gay person.我不知道他是同性恋者。
• Spring comes round to the earth again and everything looks fresh and gay.春回大地，万象更新。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 suicide   

n.自杀，自毁，自杀性行为

参考例句：

• The number of suicide has increased.自杀案件的数量增加了。
• The death was adjudged a suicide by sleeping pills.该死亡事件被判定为服用安眠药自杀。

5 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

6 snare   

n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑

参考例句：

• I used to snare small birds such as sparrows.我曾常用罗网捕捉麻雀等小鸟。
• Most of the people realized that their scheme was simply a snare and a delusion.大多数人都认识到他们的诡计不过是一个骗人的圈套。

7 rejoicing   

n.欢乐，狂喜

参考例句：

• a time of great rejoicing 尽情欢庆的时光
• The bridge was completed in 1811 amidst much rejoicing. 大桥于1811 年竣工，当时大家欢欣鼓舞。

8 invariably   

adv.不变地，始终如一地，总是

参考例句：

• A unity invariably tends to break up into different parts.统一体总要分解为不同部分的。
• We always invariably support him.我们一直始终不变地支持他。