Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes has confessed that Michael Jackson inspired him to come out of the closet as a homosexual. Darren says that the king of pop gave him the strength to confront his sexuality. “I owe my coming out to Michael Jackson, basically. He came from a similar upbringing and family to mine. He was a sensitive young thing with a stern and violent father who forced himself down a creative avenue as a means of escape. I connected to that gorgeous, wounded creature that he was.” [31 August 2007]