Ricky Martin Swats Away Rumors

NEW YORK (AP) â€” Pop star Ricky Martin isn't bothered by persistent questions about his sexual orientation. <br><br>``I can't get hung up on people whose lives are that empty,'' he said

Monday, November 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) â€” Pop star Ricky Martin isn't bothered by persistent questions about his sexual orientation.

``I can't get hung up on people whose lives are that empty,'' he said in the Dec. 4 issue of People magazine. ``I'm an artist and you can fantasize about me however you want.''

Martin, whose ``Sound Loaded'' album was released this month, won't confirm or deny rumors that he's gay. He simply says he's happily single.

Judy Wieder, editor-in-chief of The Advocate, a national gay magazine, said Martin's attitude is a ``major turning point'' for pop culture.

``He's responding without squelching the rumors or immediately running around with a woman. And it doesn't seem to have impacted his sales at all,'' she said.