Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Toni Morrison Passes Away At 88

Toni Morrison (image via Flickr/John Matthew Smith)

From the New York Times:

Toni Morrison, the 1993 Nobel laureate in literature, whose work explored black identity in America and in particular the experience of black women, died on Monday in the Bronx. She was 88.

Her death, at Montefiore Medical Center, was announced by her publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. A spokeswoman said the cause was complications of pneumonia. Ms. Morrison lived in Grand View-on-Hudson, N.Y.

The first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Ms. Morrison was the author of 11 novels as well as children’s books and essay collections. Among them were celebrated works like “Song of Solomon,” which received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1977, and “Beloved,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.

Ms. Morrison was one of the rare American authors whose books were both critical and commercial successes. Her novels appeared regularly on The New York Times best-seller list, were featured multiple times on Oprah Winfrey’s television book club and were the subject of myriad critical studies. A longtime faculty member at Princeton, Ms. Morrison lectured widely and was seen often on television.

"If you can only be tall because someone is on their knees, then you have a serious problem."

"If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else."

Toni Morrison, seminal author who stirringly chronicled the Black American experience, dies at 88 https://t.co/O7zNLzJ1R2 pic.twitter.com/xyFmIW8eO6

— TIME (@TIME) August 6, 2019

"If you can only be tall because somebody is on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And my feeling is white people have a very, very serious problem, and they should start thinking about what they can do about it.”

Rest In Power Toni Morrisonpic.twitter.com/KD0mukv4x0

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 6, 2019

Toni Morrison was a national treasure, as good a storyteller, as captivating, in person as she was on the page. Her writing was a beautiful, meaningful challenge to our conscience and our moral imagination. What a gift to breathe the same air as her, if only for a while. pic.twitter.com/JG7Jgu4p9t

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 6, 2019

"If there is a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it," Toni Morrison said.

We are all so lucky to live in a world where she took her own advice and shared it with others.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 6, 2019

Toni Morrison was simply everything to me. She gave me the language to love myself, to understand this world and taught me to be brave in the face of anything and everything. I’m so devastated that she is gone and so grateful that she was here to teach this little black girl.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 6, 2019

Legendary Broadway Producer/Director Hal Prince Dead At 91

Hal Prince

Hal Prince, producer and/or director of many of the theater’s most important and provocative musicals, including Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, Sweeney Todd and The Phantom of the Opera (the longest-running show in Broadway history), died on Wednesday in Reykjavik, Iceland. He was 91.

His legendary career began as a stage manager for shows like Call Me Madam and Wonderful Town, then produced his first musical at the age of 26, he went on to win a staggering 21 Tony Awards for his ground-breaking work.

His first Tony honor would come for co-producing the 1955 best musical, The Pajama Game. Number 20 recognized his gorgeous direction for the 1995 revival of Show Boat.

His final Tony Award was presented in 2006 for lifetime achievement.

No other theater artist comes close to his Tony haul.

The New York Times shares this never-before-seen mini-documentary on Prince's illustrious career.

He was well-known for his workaholic habits sometimes producing three Broadway musicals at the same time.

And then there's his long list of top-flight creative talents who often found themselves at the top of their game when working with him.

His list of illustrious collaborators included choreographers Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Michael Bennett and Susan Stroman; designers Patricia Zipprodt, Eugene Lee, and Florence Klotz; and composers John Kander, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim (his most frequent collaborator), and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

It was with Webber that Prince found two of his greatest, and most profitable successes - Evita and The Phantom of the Opera.

His last Broadway production was, fittingly, a retrospective of his own profilic career titled, Prince of Broadway.

My husband Michael worked on The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and in Germany, and knew Hal well.

L-R Hubby Michael Caprio, Hal Prince, me

The last time we saw Hal was when he did a wonderful Q&A evening here in Las Vegas.

He was a terrific and gracious man.

The theater world has lost a giant.

Fashion Designer Gloria Vanderbilt Dies At 95

(Anderson Cooper and mother, Gloria Vanderbilt - image via Instagram)

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper announced the passing of his own mother, fashion designer/socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, in a moving eulogy this morning.

The artist, dubbed "the poor little rich girl" when she was a child, was 95 years old.

In her teens, she began her career as a model but eventually became a fashion designer. In 2002, she sold her company for $138 million.

From CNN:

"Gloria Vanderbilt was an extraordinary woman, who loved life, and lived it on her own terms," Cooper said in a statement. "She was a painter, a writer and designer but also a remarkable mother, wife, and friend.

"She was 95 years old, but ask anyone close to her, and they'd tell you: She was the youngest person they knew -- the coolest and most modern."

Vanderbilt was diagnosed with an advanced form of stomach cancer earlier this month, Cooper said.

She joined Instagram at the age of 93, and Anderson says she was amazed anyone was interested in her on social media even as she accrued over 200k followers. Click over to peruse a fascinating collection of personal photos and art by the designer.

Cooper posted these photos of his mother on her 95th birthday:

View this post on Instagram

Happy 95th Birthday to my mom, @gloriavanderbilt. Still painting everyday @gloriavanderbiltstudio. Still dreaming and creating, still believing the next great love is right around the corner. Who knows? Maybe she is right? I love you, Mom.

A post shared by andersoncooper (@andersoncooper) on Feb 20, 2019 at 6:40am PST

Internet Sensation 'Grumpy Cat' Passes Away At 7

Internet sensation 'Grumpy Cat' has passed away at the age of 7.

She died of complications from a urinary tract infection, according to her owners.

From USA Today:

Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tardar Sauce, became an internet sensation after a photo of her trademark frowning face went viral on Reddit in 2012.

Since then, she became the subject of countless memes, a Honey Nut Cheerios commercial, book deals and even a Lifetime movie.

Some days are grumpier than others... pic.twitter.com/ws209VWl97

— Grumpy Cat (@RealGrumpyCat) May 17, 2019

Carol Burnett Show's Tim Conway Dies At Age Of 85

Tim Conway (left) with the cast of
The Carol Burnett Show in 1977

Tim Conway, one of the stars of The Carol Burnett Show in the 1970s, passed away at the age of 85 in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The longtime funnyman had recently suffered complications from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).

From PEOPLE:

Conway is survived by his wife of 35 years, his stepdaughter, his six biological children and two granddaughters. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would like donations to be made to The Lou Ruvo Brain Center at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The beloved actor is best known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show, winning viewers over with characters like the Oldest Man and Mr. Tudball, whose accent he has said was inspired by his Romanian mother. He was known to ad-lib his sketches — even surprising his scene partners — and won a Golden Globe Award for the series in 1976, along with Emmys in 1973, 1977 and 1978.

He appeared as a guest star on The Carol Burnett Show for eight seasons before becoming a regular in 1975.

“They used to do 33 shows a year on Burnett,” he told the L.A. Times. “She said why don’t you just be a regular on the show? I said I will tell you what. I will do 32 shows and leave one week open at the end, so I can guest on somebody’s show. I always guested on her show, but I did have the right to go somewhere else. My job on every show was to break everybody up.”

God, he was funny...

Hollywood Legend Doris Day Passes Away At The Age Of 97

Doris Day

Academy Award nominee and Hollywood royalty, Doris Day, has passed away at the age of 97.

According to The Doris Day Animal Foundation, the actress and singer died early Monday at her Carmel Valley, California, home. The foundation said she was surrounded by close friends.

The cause of death was pneumonia.

Variety writes:

"The vivacious blonde, who also had a successful singing career, teamed with Rock Hudson in “Pillow Talk” and other lighthearted romantic comedies including “Lover Come Back” and “Send Me No Flowers.” Her other significant screen roles included Alfred Hitchcock thriller “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956), co-starring James Stewart and featuring Day’s Oscar-winning song “Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be”); and “The Pajama Game” (1957), based on the Broadway musical."

After many successful films, she starred on CBS in “The Doris Day Show” for five years starting in 1968, and soon after retired to Carmel, Calif. She released 29 albums, most recently “My Heart,” which consisted of previously unreleased songs, in 2011.

'Beverly Hills 90210' Star Luke Perry Dead At 52

Luke Perry (photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr - CC license)

Actor Luke Perry, who shot to fame and teen idol status as loner Dylan McKay in the 1990s hit TV series, Beverly Hills, 90210, has died at the age of 52 after suffering a massive stroke last Wednesday.

TMZ reports that the actor passed away Monday morning at a hospital in Burbank, California.

Originally from Mansfield, Ohio, Perry began his acting career with roles on daytime dramas Another World and Loving.

But he became an overnight sensation with the launch of 90210 in 1990. Over several seasons, the handsome actor handled storylines that shined a light on alcohol abuse and drug addiction, as well as relationship struggles.

Perry starred in the series for several seasons but stepped away in 1995 only to return in 1998. He remained with the show until its finale in 2000.

Most recently, Perry has been starring on the CW’s Riverdale playing the conservative father of lead character, Archie Andrews (KJ Apa).

The same day of his stroke, Fox TV announced a six-episode summer reboot of 90210 with original stars Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Tori Spelling returning to play ‘larger-than-life’ versions of themselves filming a reboot of the iconic show.

Perry was not scheduled to participate, but there were reports that he might make an appearance.

Luke Perry (center) - (photo - 90210 Productions)

The actor will appear posthumously in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Perry is survived by his daughter, Sophie, and his son, Jack.

Perry's 90210 co-stars Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Cateris, and Jennie Garth issued these statements:

Dearest Luke,
I will forever bask in the loving memories we've shared over the last thirty years. May your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here, for those you leave behind.

— Ian Ziering (@IanZiering) March 4, 2019

Dearest Luke- I am so heart broken and at a loss for words. You my friend were a mighty soul and have left your mark. My love and prayers to the family and all who loved you. RIP

— Gabrielle Carteris (@TheGabrielle_C) March 4, 2019

“My heart is broken. He meant so much to so many. Such a very special person. I share my deep sadness with his family and all who loved him. Such a terrible loss." -Jennie Garth on 'Beverly Hills, 90210' costar Luke Perry

See more tributes here: https://t.co/iM2lnvjLzz pic.twitter.com/2fRfv7GkpN

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) March 4, 2019

Peter Tork Of The Monkees Passes Away At 77

Peter Tork of The Monkees 

Peter Tork, who found fame as one of the made-for-TV pop foursome, the Monkees, has died at the age of 77.

Cast in the 1966 sitcom (with fellow band mates Davey Jones, Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz), the blues/folk musician found he was limited in utilizing his skills when it came to the show's music.

Producer Don Kirshner was more interested in sitcom hi-jinks and parodying the Beatles than having the actors be actual musicians.

Eventually, the 'pre-fab four' fought for and won the right to participate in creating band's music.

Wikipedia notes that the quartet sold over 75 million albums and scored such hits as "Daydream Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," and the show's iconic theme song.

Although the TV show ended in 1968, the band would experience a revival in fandom when MTV began airing the series in 1986. A reunion tour followed, where the band reportedly made more money than ever thanks to nostalgia.

The Washington Post writes, "If the Monkees were a manufactured version of the Beatles, a “prefab four” who auditioned for a rock-and-roll sitcom and were selected more for their long-haired good looks than their musical abilities, Mr. Tork was the group’s Ringo, its lovably goofy supporting player."

As a kid, I wore a hole in my Monkees albums playing them over and over.

RIP Peter Tork.

R&B Star James Ingram Dead At 66

James Ingram (photo: KingKongPhoto/Wikimedia)

Celebrated R&B singer James Ingram has passed away at the age of 66 due to brain cancer.

From Yahoo:

Over the course of his career, Ingram achieved eight Top 40 hits, two of which — his 1982 duet with Patti Austin, “Baby, Come to Me” and 1990’s “I Don’t Have the Heart” — went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another one of notable hits, a collaboration with Linda Ronstadt called “Somewhere Out There”, peaked at No. 2, while his songs “One Hundred Wats” and “Yah Mo B There” featuring Michael McDonald earned him Grammys for Best R&B Vocal Performance.

Ingram also co-wrote “The Day I Fall in Love”, from the film Beethoven’s 2nd, and Patty Smyth’s “Look What Love Has Done”, from the movie Junior, earning him back-to-back Oscar for Best Original Song in 1994 and 1995.

His final album as a recording artist, Stand (In the Light), was released in 2018.

RIP James Ingram.

Broadway Legend Carol Channing Passes Away At The Age Of 97

My dear Carol Channing passed away this morning at the age of 97.

I celebrate this Broadway legend and my many years working with her.

What a gift.

Carol and Hello, Dolly! changed my life forever in 1994.

The experience gave me my first Broadway show; I met my husband of 24 years, Michael; supervising the national tour gave me the downpayment for my first home; and I have been lucky to stage almost a dozen major regional productions of the show passing on what I learned from Carol and our director, Lee Roy Reams.

Celebrate our fabulous Tony Award winning, Academy Award nominee (Thoroughly Modern Millie) Carol Channing today. She is, was, and always will be a national treasure.

I originally wrote some of this post years ago to celebrate her 90th birthday, but updated it with a couple more stories. Everyone always asks for the stories... :)

You can read more about my journey with Carol and Hello, Dolly! here.

RIP wonderful, Carol. xoxo

**********************************

Back in 2010, I performed with her again (picture below) in the opening number of the Gypsy of the Year competition, which is a major charity event for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  She brought the house down as only she can.

The last time Carol and I danced together at the Gypsy of the Year event in 2010
Thank you, Bruce Glikas, for the photo :)

For those that don't know, I spent two and a half incredible years performing with Carol in the last Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!.  I eventually became the production supervisor, and she would ask me for notes - on how to perform the role of Dolly Levi!

As if I could tell her anything she didn't already know.

Me with Carol at the 2010 Gypsy of the Year event on Broadway

A quick Carol story: when I was supervising Dolly on tour, one day we had a particularly long and dreadful travel day - two planes, a bus, a train and a donkey or two - to get to what Carol called "a soccer arena" where we would perform the show that night.

In the sound check Carol looked down and realized that the musician's pit was 25 feet beneath us.  This was the pit that I had to leap over every night in the middle of the Hello, Dolly! number.  For the first time in 30 years of doing the show she decided this was dangerous.

After the sound check she came looking for me to ask if someone could put a net or something between the pit and the stage in case those of us who jumped over the pit happened to fall into it.  At this point, I had 30 minutes before the performance and was taking a long shower to rid myself of the long travel day.  This being a "soccer arena" the showers where open showers in a locker room.

Covered in soap and standing under the water I suddenly heard a very low baritone voice say "Randy".  I turned and there was Carol, in the open showers with me, smiling.  She waited for me to turn and went into her concerns about the pit, a net and all sorts of other things as I stood there completely naked.

When she finished expressing her concerns I said, "Absolutely, Carol. But right now I'm soaking wet, taking a shower."

She looked me up and down, smiled and said, "Oh! Yes, of course. (pause) Well, you know, we're all just show folk," and then turned and left me to finish my shower.

Nudity was nothing to this old pro who had changed costumes in the wings for decades.

For the Gypsy of the Year event in 2010, they asked many of the Dolly boys to come back and do the opening number with Carol as a tribute to her. As the number evolved, I ended up partnering with her much of the number.

While we were rehearsing for a few days, the producer of a documentary of Carol's life asked us if we'd sit and talk about our time with her. About nine of us sat for about an hour and a half reminiscing and sharing.

I only had one particular story about Carol that I knew I wanted to share. As the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! was winding down, one of the male dancers in the show (who was very dear to me and to Carol) was dying of AIDS.

I was very grateful my brief story about Carol and Don Ives made it into the film, Larger Than Life.

Watch below.

RIP my dear, wonderful Carol. I am certain there is a standing ovation awaiting you as you enter immortality.

Freezing in the cold but loving life on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Having lunch floating down the San Antonio Riverwalk

Reunited at the Gypsy of the Year in 2010

The cover of Theater Week Magazine just after we opened the 1995 Broadway revival
of Hello, Dolly! A very young me on my knee on the left.

Daryl Dragon, Half Of 70s Recording Duo The Captain & Tennille, Passes Away At 76

Awwww... Daryl Dragon, half of the formidable, Grammy Award-winning 1970s recording duo The Captain & Tennille, has passed away at the age of 76.

From Variety:

Dragon’s ex-wife, Toni Tennille, “was with him as he took his last breath,” said Harlon Boll, a spokesperson for the singer. In a statement, Tennille said, “He was a brilliant musician with many friends who loved him greatly. I was at my most creative in my life when I was with him.”

Dragon died of renal failure, according to Boll.

“Love Will Keep Us Together,” the title track from the duo’s 1975 debut album, reached No. 1 in July of 1975 and won the top Record of the Year prize at the following year’s Grammy Awards. “Do That to Me One More Time,” the last of their big hits, also reached the top of the chart, in 1979. In the interval, the Captain & Tennille reached the top 10 with “Muskrat Love,” “The Way I Want to Touch You,” “Lonely Night (Angel Face)” and “Shop Around.”

All of this happened right in the middle of my teen years where I lived for television music specials and series.

I remember watching their TV series where it was clear even at my young age that Dragon wasn't all that comfortable being on TV, thus his primarily silent role as co-star.

But he was a serious hottie for the times.

I was sad when the couple divorced in 2014 after 39 years of marriage. Glad to hear Tennille was there with him as he let go.

And one of the least likely titles you could imagine for a hit pop song, "Muskrat Love:"

Trailblazing Director/Actress Penny Marshall Dead At 75

Penny Marshall as "Laverne DeFazio"

TMZ is reporting that iconic actress and director Penny Marshall, of Laverne & Shirley fame, has passed away at the age of 75.

The reported cause of death was complications from diabetes.

Marshall’s first big splash came as a recurring role on the popular TV series, The Odd Couple, where she played “Myrna Turner” in 27 episodes.

But an appearance on the red-hot Happy Days in 1975 as “Laverne DeFazio” (with soon-to-be longtime sidekick Cindy Williams as “Shirley Feeney”) was so popular, the duo were spun-off in their own series, Laverne & Shirley.

The series would run for 8 seasons with Marshall earning 3 Golden Globe nominations along the way. The ABC series was originally set in Milwaukee, but moved to Burbank in season six.

Throughout the series, Marshall would wear her trademark “L” for Laverne on her sweaters becoming one of the most famous logos in television history.

But acting was just the beginning of Marshall’s career. Following her brother, Garry, she was soon directing hit movies, beginning with 1986’s Jumpin’ Jack Flash starring Whoopi Goldberg.

But it was her second film, Big, starring Tom Hanks that made her an A-list director in Hollywood as she became the first female director to have a film gross over $100 million at the U.S. box office.

She would go on to helm such hits as A League of Their Own (1992) starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell (which also grossed over $100 million); Awakenings (1990) starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, which would garner three Oscar nominations including one for ‘Best Picture;’ and The Preacher’s Wife with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston in 1996.

Marshall was married to actor/director Rob Reiner from 1971 to 1981.

According to TMZ, Marshall’s family issued a statement which read, "Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall. Penny was a tomboy who loved sports, doing puzzles of any kind, drinking milk and Pepsi together and being with her family."

She had previously been treated for brain and lung cancer back in 2009.

RIP Penny Marshall.

In addition to acting in A League of Their Own, Madonna contributed a new song, “This Used to Be My Playground,” for the closing credits. The single hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Madge’s 10th number one single.

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So Lucky to have known you and worked with you Penny Marshall!! ♥️ Your Talent was as BIG as your Heart! ♥️ and you were aTrailblazer For Women In Hollywood! 🙏🏼 GOD BLESS you and your family! #pennymarshall #leagueofthierown

A post shared by Madonna (@madonna) on Dec 18, 2018 at 10:05pm PST

Sad to hear of Penny Marshall’s passing. a great comedienne a terrific director and a dear friend.

— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) December 18, 2018

Mourning the loss of a funny, poignant, and original American voice. Penny Marshall was a pioneer in television and the big screen who understood humor comes in many forms and some of life's deeper truths require a laugh. She will be missed. May she RIP.

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) December 18, 2018

1996 Kmart TV Commercial with Penny Marshall and Rosie O'Donnell https://t.co/XHOgyrCBhs via @YouTube - simply heartbroken #ripPENNY

— ROSIE (@Rosie) December 18, 2018

Legendary, Gifted Nancy Wilson Passes Away At 81

Nancy Wilson (image via WikiMedia)

My heart is heavy upon hearing the news that the awesome, legendary and gifted Nancy Wilson has passed at the age of 81.

Jazz ballads, standards, torch songs, show tunes, pop songs - there was nothing she couldn't sing. I should rephrase that, there was no style of music she couldn't bring to life in her own special way.

In interviews over the years, she shared that she began singing at the age of 3 or 4.

"I have always just sung. I have never questioned what it is. I thank God for it and I just do it," she told NPR's Piano Jazz in 1994.

In addition to her decades of sterling musical performances and recordings, she had an enviable TV career - her NBC variety show, The Nancy Wilson Show, which garnered her an Emmy Award; appearing as a frequent guest herself on countless variety shows hosted by Andy Williams, Carol Burnett and more; and acting roles on hit TV shows like Hawaii 5-O, The Cosby Show, The FBI and more.

And then, of course, she touches my heart with the moral courage she showed during the 1960s. Among many events, she took part in the 1965 march on Selma, Alabama.

In 1998, she rightfully was honored with the NAACP Image Award for raising her voice during the civil rights movement.

NPR notes that she addressed the idea of retiring at a 2007 gala in her honor at Carnegie Hall.

"After 55 years of doing what I do professionally, I have a right to ask how long?," she told the audience.

"I'm trying to retire, people," she said with a laugh before leaving the stage to a standing ovation.

I won't be morose, folks. I've loved her music and grace, and will continue to do so. My house will be filled with Miss Nancy today.

Here's just a few of what's on repeat in my office right now. I really encourage to take a listen to the incredible range and variety of her musical gifts.

RIP Nancy Wilson.

Daily Dance: Ken Berry For Kinney Shoe Store

Ken Berry(credit: ABC Television/WikiMedia Commons)

Over the weekend I learned that actor Ken Berry, star of such TV series as F Troop (1965-1967), The Andy Griffith Show (1968), and its spin-off, Mayberry, R.F.D. (1968-1971), had died at the age of 85.

He also appeared 19 times on The Carol Burnett Show (1968-1978), creating the character "Vinton Harper" on Mama's Family (1983-1990), which was a spin-off of the show's "The Family" sketches.

But what most folks don't know is he was a highly trained singer and dancer having performed on Broadway (The Billy Barnes Revue) and toured extensively in a national company of the hit musical, George M!

I had several friends who worked with Berry in several musical productions, and everyone said he was a prince of a guy.

Check out Berry's tap-dancing skills below.

(h/t Kenneth-in-the-212)

Remembering President George H.W. Bush's Legacy On The AIDS Epidemic

Last night, I shared the news that former President George H.W. Bush had passed away at the age of 94.

I did so because it was news-worthy.

But I do think it's important to note that while many laud Bush Sr. in death, he was not a great ally to the LGBTQ community during his time in the White House.

Yes, he did sign into law the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which was the first federal bill to put “sexual orientation” under protection of discrimination. And he did advocate for not discriminating against those who became HIV positive.

But in 1992, he told the New York Times in no uncertain terms that he opposed same-sex parenting.

“I can’t accept as normal life style people of the same sex being parents. I’m very sorry. I don’t accept that as normal,” he said.

He would later "mellow" on his stance, saying in 2015,  “Personally, I still believe in traditional marriage, but people should be able to do what they want to do, without discrimination. People have a right to be happy. I guess you could say I have mellowed.”

But none of that erases the lives lost during the 1980s and early 1990s to the AIDS epidemic when his silence was deafening.

My friend Tom Viola, who leads Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, an organization that has literally saved countless lives since the late 1980s, expresses how many in the LGBTQ community feel today.

I have to say this as I witness so many I work with and admire give George Bush, Sr. a pass on his monstrously cold and negligent response to the thousands of our friends who died horrendous deaths during his thankfully brief 4 years in office.

And most especially today. World AIDS DAY, 2018.

I agree with my friend Jay Blotcher, below. I also appreciate that George Bush, Sr. could be a lovely man, one on one, or when you entered his family's private circle or when engaged socially or giving him some graceful benefit of the doubt, as he aged and had little politically at stake.

And God knows he, and even his then seemingly dim-witted son, seem decent compared to the naked cowardice and evil of the current asshole in the Oval Office.

But I am having a tough time witnessing so many who support all we do, now with his death completely give the guy a whitewashed pass on the negligent evil of his administration's response to AIDS. As I am also tired of allowing people, such as Bush, Sr., to be forgiven for allowing the true evil doers behind the scenes, such as Cheney, Helms Atwater and others of those days, to have called the shots.

The true display of all his now lauded personal nice guy/lovely man moral convictions would have been to say "NO, we won't allow this!" Bush, Sr. did not. He stood firm in negligent homicide. The courage with which he went to world war completely evaded him in the war we were fighting. George Bush, Sr. could have taken a true hero's stance and be remembered for it with gratitude forever. He did not. It pisses me off.

But like George, I was raised to be nice. So I'll only say this much.

Instead I would now ask you to go over to THE AIDS MEMORIAL website on Instagram and note how many of those remembered died between 1988 and 1992, the years that George Bush, Sr. didn't have the or political or moral courage to make a difference. He dove for cover, letting so many die. Yet still he wanted to go backstage and meet the casts, filled with people whose hearts were broken much due to his negligence. Would he had extended his kindness when it mattered.

Tom refers in his Facebook note to a post by Jay Blotcher, who wrote:

A president is dead. And as the eulogies come pouring in, my heart remains cold — as cold as Bush’s heart remained in the face of the hundreds of thousands of AIDS deaths that occurred during his reign.

My ACT UP comrades and I demonstrated relentlessly during his four years, demanding a humane governmental response to the epidemic. We were met with silence or excuses.

On Labor Day weekend of 1991, we marched on his summer compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, to protest his murderous policies. His response? He told media that he had more compassion for the merchants whose holiday weekend business we had disrupted. Let his cruel inaction be his legacy.

Save your tears for the people with AIDS we lost during his time in office.

Marvel Comics Legend Stan Lee Dead At 95

Stan Lee (photo: Gage Skidmore)

Stan Lee, who led Marvel Comics for decades, has died at the age of 95.

He began his career at the Marvel predecessor, Timely Comics, as a gofer for $8 a week.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Lee, who began in the business in 1939 and created or co-created Black Panther, Spider-Man, X-Men, The Mighty Thor, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, Ant-Man and other characters, died early Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a source told The Hollywood Reporter.

Lee's final few years were tumultuous. After Joan, his wife of 69 years, died in July 2017, he sued executives at POW! Entertainment — a company he founded in 2001 to develop film, TV and video game properties — for $1 billion for fraud, then abruptly dropped the suit weeks later.

He also sued his ex-business manager and filed for a restraining order against a man who had been handling his affairs. (Lee's estate was estimated to be worth as much as $70 million.) And in June 2018, it was revealed that the Los Angeles Police Department had been investigating reports of elder abuse against him.

On his own and through his work with frequent artist-writer collaborators Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and others, Lee catapulted Marvel from a tiny venture into the world's No. 1 publisher of comic books and later a multimedia giant.

In 2009, the Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, and most of the top-grossing superhero films of all time — led by The Avengers' $1.52 billion worldwide take in 2012 — featured Marvel characters.

"I used to think what I did was not very important," he told the Chicago Tribune in April 2014. "People are building bridges and engaging in medical research, and here I was doing stories about fictional people who do extraordinary, crazy things and wear costumes. But I suppose I have come to realize that entertainment is not easily dismissed."

As a young introverted kid, comic books were truly my escape.

I collected practically all of the Marvel Comic line. The characters carried their own personal flaws along with their vaunted super-powers.

They were often unsure,  and occasionally, they might fail. Only to get back up.

That world of make-believe, where I could imagine being powerful and immune to the teasing and bullying I encountered at school, was what got me through my early years.

I remember realizing, as an adult, that the X-Men series was an allegory about gay people and that lifted me up a bit. I learned about power, responsibility, teamwork, and understanding the courage it can take to do the right thing.

RIP Stan Lee. #Excelsior

Rest easy Stan Lee. You said it best yourself... pic.twitter.com/1psU9GebJj

— The Pixel Factor (@ThePixelFactor) November 12, 2018

Porn Star Kyle Dean Dead At 21

Kyle Dean (image via Twitter)

Adult performer Kyle Dean (real name Brandon Jason Chrisan) has passed away at the age of 21.

No cause of death has been released. Toale Brothers Funeral Home lists the date of his passing as September 28.

An obituary there shares that Dean “loved to play football and physically train his body.”

“He won fourth place in an Adult Physique Competition at the age of seventeen,” the entry adds.

Dean had worked for gay adult studios Corbin Fisher and GayHoopla in recent years.

According to South Florida Gay News, Dean had several arrests over the past few years involving “multiple drug and burglary convictions.”

In March of 2017, he was ordered to take part in a drug intervention program.

SFGN also notes that Dean was described by some online commenters as “gay-for-pay,” often requesting pre-paid Uber rides or presents from his Amazon wishlist.

Over on Instinct Magazine, I've reported on the deaths of several porn performers this year including Falcon Studios’ Dave Slick and BrokeStraightBoys’ Tyler White.

Often, in posting these stories, there are inevitable comments blaming the porn industry for the passing of adult performers.

But it’s worth noting that people from every walk of life succumb to drug use or suicide.

Over the past 20 years, having lived in Las Vegas and the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, I’ve met several adult performers who have their lives together and continue to thrive.

It might be just this writer’s opinion, but perhaps because these people are in the public eye, to whatever degree, their deaths get more scrutiny than people in other walks of life?

While the porn industry connection is titilating, correlation isn’t necessarily causation.

Earlier this year, Rosie Hodson – PhD candidate with an emphasis in studying pornography – told Dazed that making generalizations about the deaths of porn performers does them “a ‘disservice’ to define them simply by their careers in porn and is a gross oversimplification to connect all of their deaths directly to their work in pornography.”

“They are individuals,” she emphasized.

And behavioral scientist Gad Saad, a chair at the John Molson School of Business in Montreal, who studies the porn industry, told the New York Post this past January that people who enter porn are no more prone to mental issues than anyone else.

There is an interest in the passing of adult performers as evidenced by the traffic these posts receive.

While I’m sure there are many who can testify to the emotional toll working in the adult entertainment industry can have on people, I don’t know that the blame for every porn performer’s death lands squarely on the industry.

But I freely admit I’m not a trained professional in assessing the issue. I’m just a writer thinking out loud.

What do you think, readers? Is the porn industry to blame for young deaths? Or is this something we see in every walk of life?

Rest in peace, Brandon Jason Chrisan.

Legendary French Singer Charles Aznavour Dead At 94

Charles Aznavour (image via Facebook)

The Guardian shares the sad news that legendary French recording artist Charles Aznavoir has passed away at the age of 94.

The French singer Charles Aznavour – often hailed as his country’s Frank Sinatra – has died at the age of 94. Aznavour, who was born Shahnour Varinag Aznavourian in Paris to Armenian parents, sold more than 100 million records in 80 countries and had about 1,400 songs to his name, including 1,300 he wrote himself. He was sometimes described as the French Sinatra because of his stirring, melancholic style.

He is one of the most celebrated exponents of the French “chanson” form – easy-listening songs with vivid lyrics, rich in storytelling, emotion and humour. One early song, 1955’s Après l’Amour, was banned on French radio for its depiction of a couple basking in post-coital happiness. 1972’s What Makes a Man A Man, meanwhile, is sung in the persona of a gay man who faces down homophobia to declare: “Nobody has the right to be / The judge of what is right for me.”

For years, "What Makes A Man A Man" closed the show Divas Las Vegas with a dramatic rendition by one of the 'divas' reversing her illusion from drag queen to male.