Rumors suggesting that celebrities may be gay have been used to malign stars in the pages of tabloids for years. Now, though, the tipping point in the U.S. gay rights debate seems to have been reached. Countless politicians have come out in favor of gay marriage in recent months, and even NFL players may soon be coming out of the closet. In this context, it’s not hard to see that ‘gay rumors’ may become blasé at some point in the near future.

That point seems to have already been reached for Joel McHale, who this week told The Advocate that he appreciates gay fans of the network TV show Community, on which he stars. McHale stated that gay rumors, which he sees daily on Twitter, often stem from his being well-dressed.

“It’s flattering,” McHale told The Advocate. “I always find it really weird when guys flip out over someone thinking they might be gay. If a guy gets offended by that, there’s something’s wrong with him. I take it as a compliment.”

In addition to starring in Community and hosting the E! network clip show The Soup, McHale starred in last year’s movie Ted and is set to star with Robin Williams in a 2013 movie titled A Friggin’ Christmas Miracle.

(Image courtesy Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)