Andrew H. Walker/Getty ImagesFinally, some great news about a Food Network star!
Noting what "an amazing couple of years this has been" for the advancement of gay rights, Chopped host Ted Allen announced today that he and his longtime love, Barry Rice, are planning to tie the knot.
"Proud to announce on this historic day that my partner of 20 years, Barry Rice, and I are engaged to be married. :)" the celebrity foodie tweeted Wednesday.
Barely three hours beforehand, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that gay couples are entitled to the same federal benefits as straight couples and, in a separate case, opted not to hear a challenge to a lower court's 2012 decision that a ban on gay marriage in California was unconstitional. (Meaning, same-sex marriage can now carry on legally in the Golden State.)
Allen immediately started fielding congratulations from fans and pals, tweeting back to one, referring to the now struck-down Defense of Marriage Act, "'@VocalLizzy: @ChopTedAllen OMG Mazel Tov!!!!! :) #DOMA is CHOPPED!' DOMA is SO CHOPPED!!!!!"
"'@ericeatsout: I'm loading up on Crate and Barrel stock! Hellooooo wedding registries!' This would be good time 2 buy C&B, wouldn't it?!" Allen agreed.
"Mazel Tov, @ChopTedAllen," offered up Ace of Cakes star Duff Goldman.
Allen had already been with Rice for 10 years when he got his big TV break as the "food and wine connoisseur" on Queer Eye for Straight Guy and already was in the habit of sweetly referring to his partner as his husband during interviews.
The couple live in New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed a marriage-equality bill, paving the right for gay couples to legally marry, in 2011.
Also striking while the iron was hot today was Kristen Bell, who re-popped the question to baby daddy (and fiancé of 2 1/2 years) Dax Shepard.
"I don't believe in standing in the way of love, and I want to stand up for that right," Bell said last year in explaining that she and Shepard were holding off on tying the knot until their gay friends had the same right. "And that's what it is. If someone wants to commit their life to another person, why would I not bolster that argument?"