Stars pay tribute to Gore Vidal

ZACHARY QUINTO, ROB LOWE and JAKE SHEARS have led the tributes to GORE VIDAL following his death on Tuesday (31Jul12).

The celebrated author and playwright passed away at his home in Los Angeles after suffering complications from pneumonia.

Vidal, who had relationships with both men and women, often wrote about homosexuality and his 1948 novel The City and the Pillar was one of the first books to feature an openly gay character.

And gay Scissor Sisters singer Shears has taken to Twitter.com to acknowledge Vidal's groundbreaking contributions, writing, "RIP Gore Vidal. A truly great American original. What a legacy", while his bandmate Del Marquis adds, "Gore Vidal... thank you for wit & for being queer - long before there were gay rights."

Gay actor Quinto declares, "One of Tennessee's closest and a true revolutionary. Incendiary. Insightful. Incisive. Missed by many already", and Lowe ‏told his followers, "Now there was a man who knew how to use his pencil."

Rocker Tom Morello ‏writes, "RIP Gore Vidal. Glad to have met him. Incredible mind/wit/life."

Josh Groban, Sandra Bernhard and Courtney Love also offered their thoughts on Vidal online.