opinion pieces about his opposition to religious dogmatism. But on the other hand, he also wrote favorably about the good that the church was capable of doing. In one piece, he stated that "...the church itself, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, is a bulwark of our society. Its severely overburdened clergy are crucial to the development of our youths, to comforting our elders, and to tending our sick." But while he was a skeptic about the tenets of organized religion, during his late-2004 bout of serious illness he admitted he had prayed in various ways, including with a Catholic priest who was a friend of his; and he said that he had discussed religion with several of his Jewish friends, including political commentator Jon Keller and conservative newspaper columnist Jeff Jacoby. But he said he did not expect to go to either a heaven or a hell. Homosexuality Brudnoy came to realize that he was homosexual early in life but successfully hid the fact for many years. While at Texas Southern, he "adopted" a young, recently single mother, Patricia Kennedy, and for many years Brudnoy and Kennedy enjoyed a relationship of mutual convenience, with Brudnoy able to use Kennedy as a cover for his homosexuality, and in return serving as a surrogate father to her two young children. Brudnoy did not reveal his homosexuality to his father and stepmother until his illness in 1994; his father Harry was 88 years old when Brudnoy finally phoned him to give him the news and also discuss the health crisis he was undergoing. David was pleasantly surprised that his parents were supportive. Brudnoy had previously come out to his aunt and uncle after they lost a son (also homosexual) to AIDS. Brudnoy publicly revealed his homosexuality in 1994, after returning from hospitalization to overcome his long-hidden fight with AIDS. Despite the controversy, his ratings reportedly did not suffer as a result. The controversy was rekindled somewhat after the release of his autobiography, in which he described a history of sexual excesses. Brudnoy did not attempt to mask his sexuality during his adult life, but also made no direct indications of it; it was well known among his colleagues in broadcasting long before he spoke publicly about it. His closest and oldest friend was psychologist Dr. Ward Cromer, with whom he took dozens of trips abroad, and who was incorrectly assumed by many to