"He's not a celebrity. He's a story," the prosecutor told the court. "It's one of accusation and manipulation and failure."
Ouch.
I recently watched Behind the Candelabra again, which got me to wondering what's happened to Scott Thorson since the movie came out. I Googled his name and learned of his recent conviction: 8 to 20 years for blowing off probation by repeatedly failing drug tests (and disregarding court-mandated rehab). Thorson groveled for mercy, but the judge didn't budge: "I'm not impressed - I don't think anybody is - with this so-called celebrity status. You're just like any other addict who has committed a crime against a victim."
Again, ouch.
Considering Thorson's failing health, I doubt very much that he'll serve much of his term. He already looks like Tammy Faye Baker's last appearance on CNN, and the real life Thorson is far different from the character played by Matt Damon. Today's Thorson is haggard and rough-trade, with a gravely voice reminiscent of a Madame puppet. Scott is the kind of gay guy that makes other homosexuals look bad - tanned, tattooed, used. Sure, I feel bad that Liberace stole a few years of his youth...but Jesus Christ, that was 35 years ago, and even a dumb kid could have seen the big picture.
Thorson was an idiot. He should have banked a percentage of his allowance, knowing his sugar daddy would eventually find a new stud. Had Scott made better choices, he could have walked away from "Lee" with more than enough cash to start a new life (even with his addiction). He might have paid for college, become a full fledged veterinarian, and enjoyed a minor celeb status within the gay community. But opportunism was no different in the 1970s than it is today...and opportunistic queens are a common breed. I'm sad to say that I've known several "Scott Thorson's" over the years, and once they hit 50, they all look as if they'd been rode hard, put away wet, and left with a hole stretched so wide, I doubt they can feel a fist anymore.
A long, long time ago, I really was young and attractive. My heyday was in the 90s, when I had a 32 inch waist, a face untouched by the sadness of adulthood, and older men noticed me in bars - in the same way Michael Douglas doted on Matt Damon. But once I hit my 40s, the whole dynamic changed...and now I'm the old guy who wishes he were young. Of course, "young" to me now means any dude who has all his hair - even if it's grey; and though I don't have Liberace's wealth or flamboyance, I do recognize similarities in our lives - especially when it comes to growing up in a time when being gay was best kept in the closet. It's amazing how those memories still seem as real as though they'd just happened yesterday.
I will say though that when it comes to sexual deviants, I prefer mine to wear leather, rather than hot pink feathers & rhinestones.
I will say though that when it comes to sexual deviants, I prefer mine to wear leather, rather than hot pink feathers & rhinestones.
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