Lessons in Being Yourself

How do you help someone BE who they are? A close friend of mine struggles with being himself around people from church in fear that they won't like him, that they will reject him. I think its best to be honest and say "I like science fiction." "I have played Dungeons and Dragons". or "Sometimes I watch The Simpsons". I do. But I have problems with honesty it seems. Sometimes I tell it when people don't want to hear it. *giggle* Sometimes I take great delight in it. I'm working up to this great conversation with one delusional person very soon in which I explain a few details in VIVID detail. She's quite the coward though, so I may have to do it by email. That will be disappointing. *shrugging* Back to more interesting things.... The problem is that he's a great guy, the real guy. The guy he portrays is pretty great too but it feels like an act for him. :-( We do have some crazy judgemental people at church, but he's young and I think that most people haven't built enough of a relationship with him to accept or reject him. I'm not sure if that exactly makes sense. LOL. So, how do I encourage the REAL him to come out? Is that even important in this setting? Will this matter in a couple of weeks? *shrugging* All questions I don't have an answer to.