British pop star George Michael revealed to the world that he is gay Friday night during a CNN interview. It was the 34-year-old singer's first interview since his arrest Tuesday (April 7) for allegedly engaging in a lewd act in a

Beverly Hills park restroom.

"I feel stupid and reckless and weak for

letting my sexuality be exposed that way," Michael told CNN. "But I do not feel shame [about my

sexuality], neither do I think I should."

"I can try to fathom why I did what I did," he continued, "but at the end of the day, I have

to admit that maybe part of the kick was that I might get found out."

Dressed in a black suit, Michael spoke candidly about his emotions since his

arrest, saying that he feels "humiliated," yet admitted that the incident was

not the first time he's "done something like that."

"I put myself in an

extremely stupid and vulnerable position, especially because I'm in a

privileged position, and I can't deny that," he said. "I can only apologize."

The platinum-selling singer also told the cable network that he hopes he has

not embarrassed his fans.

Michael said he is currently in a relationship with a man, and that he

has not been in a relationship with a woman in 10 years. The singer

stressed that he always has been honest about his sexuality in his music. "I

want people to know that the songs I wrote back then about women are about

women -- there was no bullshit there -- while the songs I've written recently

have been fairly obviously about men," he said.

Michael was alone when he was arrested at Will Rogers Park late Tuesday

afternoon by an undercover officer with the Beverly Hills Police Department.

He was booked for investigation of misdemeanor lewd conduct and released after

posting $500 bail. He will be arraigned May 5.

Michael's musical career began as a teen-ager in the early '80s as half of

the pop duo Wham!, which broke up in 1986. He launched his hugely successful

solo career in 1987 with the album </>Faith,</> which included such hits as "I

Want Your Sex" and "Father Figure" and sold 7 million copies. After his second

solo album, </>Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1,</> saw a significant drop in

sales, selling a million copies, Michael bagged the album's sequel and engaged

in a legal battle with his former label, Sony, stating that he would never

record again if he lost. Though he did lose, he later negotiated his way out

and recorded his most recent album, 1996's </>Older,</> for DreamWorks.