Date: Tue, 14 Feb 1995 10:28:19 -0500 From: David B. O'Donnell To: Multiple recipients of list GLB-NEWS Subject: #6/THE LAST SUPPER OF PAUL MONETTE [ Send all responses to Ttownqueer@AOL.COM only. Any responses to the list or list-owners will be returned to you. ] Tinseltown's Queer! Free Weekly Column #6: "THE LAST SUPPER OF PAUL MONETTE" PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PASS THIS ALONG THROUGH CYBERSPACE, THE WORLD WIDE WEB, ETC. ***CONDITIONS FOR PUBLICATION/DISTRIBUTION FOLLOW COLUMN*** _________________________________________ COLUMN #6 - Feb. 19th - Feb. 25th, 1995 Copyright (c) 1995 by Nicholas Snow, All Rights Reserved Nicholas Snow is... TINSELTOWN'S QUEER! "News, Commentary and Gossip, With a Political Cutting Edge." THE LAST SUPPER OF PAUL MONETTE... "This is my body, broken for you..." Just a few months ago, the Disciples of PAUL MONETTE gathered with Him, in His honor, at a home in the Hollywood hills, to celebrate His life and contribution to the planet--a Savior of so many souls with His words and deeds...a Healer of the broken-hearted...a Revealer of Truth...a genuine Holy Spirit. Among those present: TONY KUSHNER, TOM HULCE, ARMISTEAD MAUPIN, TERRY WOLVERTON, MORRIS KIGHT and yours truly, a grateful scribe in our collective journey. I had heard of the journeys of the many diciples, but was awed to be in their presence, and speak with them about the gospel according to Paul. Who else was in our midst? Judas? No. Actually, Judas was too busy lobbying for an Oscar. But there were a million Mary's, praise the Lord, not to mention other followers from all walks of life. During the pre-feast activities, I asked Brother Maupin to say a few words about Paul, and here's what he had to say: "I've known Paul since the late 70's at least, and he's one of those writers whose talent is so enormous that other writers read him and get jealous on the spot. When he has a new book out, I always think, oh my God, when am I going to get around to reading this, because it's going to kill me it's going to be so good. And it always is...he's inspirational to me as a writer, and a sweet guy, and an activist--which is important to me--a very serious activist, and I'm very proud to count myself as part of the West Coast contingent of Queers, along with Paul, and I've always felt a special kinship with him, so I'm thrilled and honored to be here tonight." At this amazing, life-filled gathering, I asked Brother Hulce, "What do you think Paul Monette's writing has meant in or country, especially in the face of the AIDS epidemic? Brother Hulce, in a gentle, impassioned manner, replied, "I think he's given voice to so much between his political writing, and his autobiographical writing, and his poetry. He's given such brilliant voice to so much of what's in our hearts and minds surrounding the mess of this epidemic, and the situation we find ourselves in." I then asked Brother Hulce if losing close friends to AIDS had inspired him to live his life any differently, to which he responded, "There's an amazing interview that the English writer, Dennis Potter did, just before he died. He died of cancer, and he accepted this offer to do this last interview, and had a flask of liquid morphine with him, just in order to get through it, because he wanted essentially to have his last voice. At some point, he said, so eloquently...it's about the is, is, is of every moment, and that everything simply gets more extreme, and the lesson that's to be learned is: It is this moment now. It is this moment now." Elsewhere at the banquet, Sister Wolverton said, "Paul Monette is somebody that I really cherish and admire a great deal, both as a writer, and as a brave human being," and Elder Kight told me, "I love Paul Monette, and there's a great gathering here of the new wave of poets and artists and movers and shakers and thinkers. It's the new lesbian gay consciousness, and I wanted to be here. I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted to see all the marvelous people who are turned out for this. I did not feel worthy to approach Brother Kushner, or Paul Himself, so it took me the whole evening to do so. I asked Brother Kushner to comment on what Paul has meant to him, to which he replied, "Probably pretty much the same as he's meant to thousands and thousands and thousands of gay men. I read Borrowed Time, I think, right after I finished writing Millennium, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever read. I cried, I think, every five or six pages. I think it set a standard for the literature of the epidemic that no one has equaled...I just think that he's an incredibly great writer and really one of the best writers America has produced in the last 50 years. It's thrilling that he's one of ours, and the things that he speaks about are so immediately applicable to our own lives and circumstances...he's a writer for everyone, and I'm just incredibly happy that I got to come here and be a part of this, because I think he's someone who deserves any award." Toward the close of the gathering, I had the privilege of speaking with Paul. It wasn't the first time we'd met. He first introduced himself to me at a Queer Nation meeting several years ago. Feeling the magic and power and majesty before me, I asked, "How do you feel having all these people come out to celebrate your work?" The words flowed from the Master. "Well, you know, I approached it for the last month and a half with the kind of sense of, oh, it's a memorial service where the body is still warm. I had no idea I would be so touched by it, and especially that so many fellow artists of mine wanted to be taking part...It's no fun dying, and it's no fun not knowing when, but you have to take some heart in believing that you've made a difference. It may only be the difference you make to your lover, or to your brother or sister, or something like that. I've really had a chance during AIDS to make a large difference to people, and it holds me up. It really holds me up." "This is my blood, shed for you..." Nicholas Snow, self-proclaimed "Actor-Writer-Singer-Songwriter-Publisher-Columnist-Activist-Diva", is the producer and host of the syndicated television show, "Tinseltown's Queer!" His editorial mission (and the foundation of his entertainment pursuits) is,"To examine and strengthen the relationship between the entertainment industry and the Queer (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgenderist) Civil Rights Movement, thereby positively impacting the movement itself." For more information, or with questions, comments, breaking news or gossip, E-mail Ttownqueer@aol.com, write 7985 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 450, West Hollywood, CA 90046, or call Snow's 24-HOUR Audio Press Release at (818) 771-7690. ### _____________________________________________ CONDITIONS FOR PUBLICATION and/or RE-DISTRIBUTION (modified 1/29/95). This is a FREE, weekly, syndicated column, distributed electronically via the internet, available to any interested print publication or on-line user. 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The column is distributed anytime between Sunday a.m. and Monday p.m., Pacific Standard Time. If you have received this column as the result of being on a list or newsgroup and wish to receive it directly, please notify me at Ttownqueer@aol.com. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Nicholas Snow The Tinseltown Queer