The Channing Tatum Magic Mike Bi Interview Explained: What Really Happened

The Channing Tatum Magic Mike Bi Interview Explained: What Really Happened

Ever had that weird feeling where you’re 100% sure you remember something, but the internet says it never happened? It’s called the Mandela Effect. And if you’ve been scouring the web for that one Channing Tatum Magic Mike bi interview, you’re currently caught in the middle of a massive digital ghost hunt.

People swear they saw it. They’ll tell you they remember a specific E! News clip or a GQ spread where Tatum casually mentioned being bisexual. But here’s the kicker: if you try to find it now, it’s gone. It’s not just "buried" by an algorithm; according to every official record, it doesn’t exist.

So, did he actually come out, or is this just a classic case of the internet playing tricks on our collective memory? Let's get into the weeds of why this rumor is so sticky.

The "Prank" That Started a Fire

Back in the Tumblr era—specifically around 2014 and 2017—the "Channing is bi" narrative really took off. It wasn't just random gossip. It felt like it had legs.

There was a specific post by a Tumblr user (under the handle barringtonhigh) that claimed Tatum had been open about dating guys in the past. This post went viral. Why? Because people wanted it to be true. Tatum has always been a vocal ally, and his background as a stripper in Tampa gave the story a "gritty realism" that made it believable.

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Later, that same user admitted it was a prank. They were essentially testing to see how fast misinformation could spread. Spoiler: it spreads at light speed.

By the time the correction came out, the "fact" was already baked into the minds of thousands of fans. Then came Magic Mike.

The Magic Mike Connection and "The Gay Interview"

When the first Magic Mike movie dropped in 2012, and later Magic Mike XXL in 2015, the press tours were... intense. Tatum and his co-star Joe Manganiello did an interview with Pride Source that often gets cited as the "smoking gun."

In that interview, the journalist jokingly said, "Channing, you're so gay."
Tatum’s response? "Damn right—and proud of it!" Context matters. He was clearly joking, leaning into the campy, hyper-masculine-yet-subversive energy of the movie. He also talked about once dancing on a platform at a gay bar while fully clothed and mentioned how he "revels in the curiosity" people have about his dating life.

But if you’re a fan skimming a headline? You see "Channing Tatum" and "Proud of it" and "Gay Interview" in the same block of text. Suddenly, a joke becomes a "coming out" moment in the public's messy memory bank.

Why do we remember a "bisexual interview"?

  • The Tom Hardy Confusion: People often mix up muscular, white A-list actors. Tom Hardy did give an interview early in his career where he discussed being open to experiences with men.
  • The Matt Bomer Factor: Matt Bomer, who stars in Magic Mike, is openly gay. During the 2015 press tour, Tatum was incredibly complimentary of Bomer, famously saying in a Reddit AMA that he "absofuckinglutely" gets lost in Bomer’s eyes.
  • Support for LA Pride: In 2015, Tatum and Bomer appeared on a Magic Mike float at LA Pride. To a casual observer, that visual—Tatum on a Pride float—cemented the idea that he was part of the community rather than just a very supportive ally.

The Mandela Effect is Real

If you go to Reddit today, specifically subreddits like r/MandelaEffect, you’ll find hundreds of people who are genuinely distressed. They claim they remember reading a Buzzfeed article or watching an E! News segment where he confirmed he was bi but hadn't been in a "serious" relationship with a man.

There’s a theory that his PR team "scrubbed" the internet. Honestly? That’s almost impossible. In 2026, we know how the web works—once something is out there, someone has a screenshot. There is no screenshot. There is no WayBack Machine link.

The most likely explanation is a "Perfect Storm of Publicity." You had a movie about male stripping, a cast full of men who were comfortable with "equal opportunity objectification," and a lead actor who was happy to play with gender roles.

What Tatum Has Actually Said

Channing has been married to Jenna Dewan (they’ve since divorced) and was famously linked to Zoë Kravitz. He has never, in any verified, non-deleted, non-prank interview, identified as bisexual.

What he has said is that he doesn't care about being "alpha." In a 2012 interview, he noted:

"I don't think you need to act tough... I love my life and I'm about as happy as I could ever be."

He’s also been a huge advocate for gay marriage, speaking at the Human Rights Campaign as a straight man. That "as a straight man" part is usually the bit people forget when they’re trying to piece together his history.

Final Insights on the Channing Tatum "Bi" Mystery

If you're looking for the Channing Tatum Magic Mike bi interview, you’re looking for a ghost. It’s a piece of internet folklore—a mix of Tumblr pranks, misinterpreted jokes, and a general public desire for more queer representation in Hollywood.

Here is what we know for sure:

  1. The "Tumblr confession" was a confirmed hoax by the original poster.
  2. The Pride Source quotes were jokes made during movie promotion.
  3. His "coming out" at LA Pride was actually just a promotional appearance for Magic Mike XXL.

If you want to stay factually grounded, the best thing to do is separate the man from the "Mike." Channing Tatum is a high-level ally who is comfortable in his skin, but he hasn't changed his public identity.

To keep your celebrity news diet clean, always check for a direct video link or a verified publication. If the only source is a "I swear I remember this" Reddit thread, you're likely looking at a digital mirage. Keep an eye on his official social channels or legacy outlets like The Hollywood Reporter for actual life updates, because everything else is just noise.

Check the dates on those "old" interviews. You'll find they often coincide perfectly with movie releases—which tells you everything you need to know about how Hollywood PR works.