Reality TV can be so messy.
After all of the chaos following The Bachelorette and Taylor Frankie Paul came to light this week, Joey Graceffa is shedding light on his time competing on The Amazing Race.
The bestselling author and YouTube personality competed on two seasons of the hit CBS show alongside fellow influencer Meghan Camarena. Although the duo came in fifth place on season 22 in 2013, the pair dealt with a lot of stress outside of the grueling challenges throughout the competition.
Graceffa wasn't fully out of the closet when he competed on both of his seasons, but that didn't stop the network from trying to convince the star to come out while competing on the show.
"The Amazing Race was a lot of fun, but it was truly traumatizing. It's crazy. They wanted me to come out on the show! There was a gay producer who was like, 'You should come out on the show.' I was like, 'I'll come out if you write me that $1 million check at the finish line!' That didn't happen. I would not have been ready back then," Graceffa tells Out.
Graceffa eventually came out following his time on The Amazing Race in a viral YouTube music video that's reached over 40 million views. The star has attributed his passionate fanbase for helping him come out on his own terms.
"I was the weirdo nerd kid in high school. That mentality still lives inside me. I feel like such a loser sometimes. Honestly, having the YouTube audience gave me something to build me up and make me feel special."
Besides his YouTube fame, the handsome star has released a slew of hit books including the Children of Eden trilogy and a bestselling memoir. Now, Graceffa is adding young adult fantasy to his repertoire with his new novel The Twelve.
"It's about witches having powers off of their specific zodiac signs. My story follows twin sisters who are recruited to join a coven where they're trying to collect all 12 girls of the zodiac to fight off dark witches. American Horror Story: Coven was a big inspiration! It's definitely my favorite book I've written so far."
With so many successful and relatable projects under his belt, Graceffa has encouraged many young fans to live their lives more authentically.
"The kids come up to me in the line of the meet-and-greet and whisper in my ear that they're gay. I was the first one that they feel comfortable enough to tell that to. It's so heartwarming to see them, see their journey, and see them all grown up. They are my children, literally."
Fans can order The Twelve by visiting the official website here. To see the full interview with Joey Graceffa, check out the video at the top of the page.
