Raise your hand if you’ve read Billy Masters’ legendary gossip column in any of the numerous gay publications in which it runs (including this one!). Notorious for its humorous perspective on the lives and loves of the stars of stage and screen (large and small), Billy Masters’ column is read and revered by many in the community. Aside from being a whiz at dishing the dirt, Masters is a respected comedian and he has taken to performing his one-man show, Going Out on a Limb: Confessions of a Hollywood Insider, around the country. We spoke shortly before his appearance in Chicago. Oh, and you can put your hand down now.

Gay & Lesbian Times: Many people recognize the name Billy Masters from your celebrated gossip column, previously known as Filth, which predates the arrival of Perez Hilton by a few years. What is your opinion of Hilton?

Billy Masters: A few years? About a decade (laughs). The truth of the matter is, when Perez started, he was a big fan – he sent me fan letters, wanted to interview me, be my best friend, etc. I think it was during the summer when I’m usually not in L.A. and I didn’t get back to him in a timely manner, so he started to get nasty. I hear he did the same thing to Kathy Griffin. But, regardless, he’s a different animal. Perez is a blogger which really doesn’t mean he’s held to the same standards as a columnist who is in print. He can throw anything out there and hope something sticks – and if it’s wrong, who cares? I’m in a couple dozen papers who would cry bloody murder if I tried to pull what he does. We’d all be sued. A blogger can be anyone with an internet connection who wants to type. It’s not a really hard thing to do. But he’s smart and has obviously been successful.

GLT: What would you say is the biggest difference between your approach to gossip and Hilton’s?

BM: From what I gather, he’s much nastier and goes for the jugular. He seems to have an axe to grind – the outsider who wants to be accepted. I, on the other hand, approach what I do as an entertainer. It’s all an extension of my background as a comedian. I’m more an entertainer and monologist. I want to share stories with you, but I also want you to laugh. You may have heard some of the gossip from other people, but you haven’t heard it like I’ll tell it. The biggest compliment I can get is not someone saying that I broke a story – but that they had a great time reading the column. You may not know any of the people I’m writing about, but hopefully you laugh. And, I will say, I have a higher accuracy percentage than most – not to brag or anything (laughs).

GLT: Who are your role models in the gossip galaxy?

BM: I don’t know if I went into this with any role models in mind. I was always a huge fan of celebrity biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli’s work. I always felt like he was an insider sharing dish with me – so I’m sure I picked up that tone from him. And, speaking of tone, I’ve always considered Joan Rivers my comedic godmother – her sensibility and perspective was always in sync with mine.

GLT: Would you say that gay men and gossip are a custom fit?

BM: Michaelangelo Signorelli once asked me if gossip, by its very nature, is a gay trait. Perhaps it is. Or it’s simply a human one, and we are more in tune to it. And, gay people tend to be far more irreverent than straights. Maybe we’re able to see the humor in situations more than others … or maybe we’re happy to laugh at others. I’m not sure.

GLT: Your one-man show Going Out on a Limb is subtitled Confessions of a Hollywood Insider. How does one become a “Hollywood insider”?

BM: I used to consider myself a fly on the wall. I showed up places and was pretty inconspicuous and just observed. I think if the fly lasts long enough, he becomes an insider. Until someone gets out a fly swatter, that is (laughs)!

GLT: When it comes to gossip, is anything sacred?

BM: I personally try not to go after someone to hurt them intentionally. As a gay man, I think revealing someone’s HIV status would be in poor taste. Past that, I think almost anything is game – particularly with the right attitude. The only exception would be hypocrites. When people purposely say something contrary to what they do or how they live their lives, I take offense. If someone wants to keep their private life private, I’m OK with that. But if you purposely lie, watch out because I’m gunning for ya’ (laughs).

GLT: You cut your comedy teeth in the Boston comedy scene, which gave us the likes of Denis Leary, Steven Wright, Anthony Clark…

BM: … Oh, Anthony Clark … he used to come to my shows at Chaps, which was a gay club, and sit in the back with a notebook. Memories …

GLT: What do you think it is about the Boston area that lends itself to being a fertile breeding ground for comedy?

BM: I think Bostonians are uniquely suited to see the absurdity in most situations. New Yorkers, too. It’s an East Coast thing. I think being tough cookies helps (laughs).

GLT: In the realm of GLBT comedy, the lesbians – including Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, Kate Clinton, Judy Gold, Suzanne Westenhoeffer and Elvira Kurt – have had larger scale success than some of the male comedians. Do you think that is likely to change?

BM: I hate to sound so negative, but I don’t think so – at least no time soon. I think the idea of two women is something very attractive to both men and women. Gay men seem to have that kind of wide appeal if they are completely de-sexualized and clowns. The minute you get the mental image of a man having sex with another man, it gets icky for heteros. What we haven’t figured out is how to get past the sexuality issue. I personally don’t think of David Letterman or Jay Leno having sex with women any more than I think of Bob Smith or Jason Stuart having sex with men. In fact, I’d like to take the sex portion out of the equation for all of them (laughs)!

GLT: On a more serious subject, you have also been a high profile figure at a variety of GLBT events. How important is it for you to be a visible part of the community?

BM: Extremely important. I think that it’s an obligation to use what little celebrity I have to give back to the community and get people to come out and support those organizations. I host Pride Festivals, benefits, and other such events as often as my schedule permits. As long as I’m not losing money and people want to laugh, I’ll be there.