Honey Boo Boo’s Uncle Poodle Discusses Homosexuality In The South, The Origins Of His Nickname

Honey Boo Boo’s Uncle Poodle, also known as Lee Thompson, recently sat down for a revealing interview with The GA Voice. Thompson discussed what life is like in a small southern town when you’re gay. According to the reality star’s uncle, misconceptions regarding small town homosexuality need to be properly addressed.

“If there’s people who have a problem with [my being gay], they keep it to themselves,” Thompson explained, stating that he and his husband are more community-oriented due to the lack of a proper gay scene in their town. “Just like if I have a problem with them, I keep it to myself.”

The Examiner reports that Uncle Poodle is very straightforward about his sexuality, and feels that he cannot be lumped into one particular category. Although he might be gay, Thompson said that he’s still a country boy at heart.

“My husband and I live in Milledgeville because we want to be out in the country,” Thompson said during the interview. “I’m gay, but I’m as redneck as I can get, and we want to be somewhere we can fish and jump on a four-wheeler, go hog wallowing. There’s probably 40 or 50 of us — gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people — around here, they’re all open about it, everybody knows it.”

Thompson also discusses how he became known as “Uncle Poodle,” a nickname given to him by Honey Boo Boo herself. “We were at practice one day, getting ready for a pageant,” he explained. “Her coach was talking about her gay friends, and she said, ‘I love all my poodles.’ Alana thought she was really talking about dogs. She wanted to know how many poodles she had, and what were their names. And I said, ‘No, Alana, she’s talking about gay people.’ Well, that did it. All gay people are poodles to her now, and I’m her number one poodle.”

Be sure to check out the entire interview with Honey Boo Boo’s Uncle Poodle at The GA Voice.