'Good Morning America's' Sam Champion & Fiance: No Wedding Plans Yet & Anderson Cooper Inspired Him To Come Out
On Oct. 5, Sam Champion, "Good Morning America's" weatherman, announced that he and his photographer boyfriend Rubem Robierb were going to get married later this year.
Champion, however, said it was strange for him to be making headlines.
"What I do for a living is, I work in the news business, and we talk about other people and other people's lives," he told the New York Daily News.
While Champion and his beau were at the wedding of friend, another openly gay news anchor, Thomas Roberts of MSNBC, Champion told The New York Times, "We're getting married New Year's Eve in Miami." The publication added that Champion said this while he was "in the spirit of the moment."
Robierb corrected his soon-to-be husband: "We'll do it here officially, and then have a party in Miami."
In a statement to ABC, Champion said, "We are thrilled and so excited and thank everyone for their good wishes."
So who inspired Champion to not only publicly come out about his sexual orientation, but also announce his engagement?
When Anderson Cooper admitted, "The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud," while simultaneously announcing that he plans to marry his boyfriend, Benjamin Maisani, in July, it inspired Champion to do the same.
“It’s not easy,” Champion told the New York Daily News of coming out nationally. “So whenever anyone does do it, it makes it easier for everybody, just a little bit.”
Although Champion and Robierb's wedding is coming up, they haven't planned a thing.
It’s gonna be very small,” Champion said. “We’re just kind of in the planning stages, but we’re people who would just grab a bottle of Champagne, head to the beach and call it a day.”
