99 out of 100 people have no idea who Rachel Maddow is, and MSNBC's ratings are proof.
i only know who she is because DU talks about her.
in the real world, ive never heard of her even once. no magazine articles, no tv talk shows.. no radio shows. nobody mentions her as in "i was listening to this Maddow woman today and she said..." I think she is a very niche character.
as for her being lesbian? i could care less. just keep your sexual practices out of my face (as well as children in school still) and we're fine. if she's another wackjob like that radio woman who fell down and broke her teeth? she is insane and the world outside of DU has never heard of her either.