Today the Los Angeles Times announced in the obituary section of the daily that Marc Christian passed to spirit on June 2nd (!) earlier this year of pulmonary complications @ the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burank (CA).
Why was the report not forthcoming sooner?
Christian's sister - Susan Dahl - confided to a journalist that she did not publicly announce the death because she was respecting Marc's wish for privacy.
However, once contacted, Ms. Dahl confirmed the facts surrounding Christian's medical condition which resulted in his demise, and the actual date of passing.
Mr. Christian triggered a glut of a sensational headlines around the globe when it was publicly disclosed that - he was not only Rock Hudson's lover - buy may have been exposed to HIV (or A.I.D.S.) because of an ongoing sexual relationship with the 50's Screen idol (who allegedly failed to reveal the fact he was a carrier of the deadly virus).
Until that time, little was known about HIV (& A.I.D.S.), except that there was no known cure.
Consequently, when medical facts were first reported in the media, there was a lot of hysteria.
Individuals with the dreaded disease were shunned (even by medical care workers who worried about their own safety), U.S. Immigration Officials denied access to foreigners known to be afflicted with the virus, and a carefree sexually-unhibited lifestyle (once accepted in ultra-liberal states like California) was suddenly strictly-taboo.
There was a lot of finger-pointing, too.
When it was revealed that Rock Hudson was HIV positive (and rapidly advancing to the end stages of full-blown A.I.D.S.) - for the first time since the mysterious outbreak - a known face became associated with the insiduous disease.
Indeed, Rock's infection actually humanized the disease.
Consequently, there was a rush to raise funds for research - and a collaborative effort by prominent specialists in the realm of infectious disease studies - to come up with medical treatments and a cure.
Understandably, for the aforementioned reasons, the Marc Christian story was forefront in the news.
After all, Christian was not only one of the first gay men to seek a money-damage award from a male lover, but also the first individual (male or female) to seek compensation for being exposed unwittingly to the killer virus while having sex with a partner who willfully failed to disclose their medical condition.
Several years ago, through an acquaintance of mine in New York, I was invited to attend a chic fashion show at a tony estate in Beverly Hills.
On the day of the much-anticipated event, I invited a buxom beauty from Texas - actress Sandra Sexton - to come along for the ride.
Shortly after we settled into our seats, Sandra spied Rock Hudson standing alone on the other side of the room, looking terribly non-chalant.
Suddenly, Sandra poked me in the side, and drawled in that sexy voice of hers:
"Darling, Rock is cruising you."
When I glanced his way in response to her quip, I happened to catch his eye, and he grinned.
I wasn't surprised by his subtle advances; after all, it was well-known in the gay community that Rock had a thing for young male blonds.
Like moi!
I couldn't help but notice that he appeared to be a bit gaunt, though; nonetheless, the legendary screen idol was still a spectacularly handsome man.
"Go over and talk to him," Sandra urged.
No way, Jose!
I wasn't going to make a fawning fool of myself.
However, shortly after a brief tiff over the issue, I spied the acquaintance who invited me to the soiree chatting up Mr. Hudson.
Well, now, if I was a manipulative conniving person, I would have seized on the opportunity to casually stroll over and say hi to my acquaintance - knowing full well - that he would undoubtedly turn to Rock and introduce us.
But, that was too obvious, in my estimation.
So, I passed.
A short while later, the shocking news about Rock Hudson hit the fan (so to speak), and the grueling legal battle in the Courts over the Marc Christian allegations commenced with every titillating detail being dished up daily.
Of course, defense counsel tore Marc Christian apart, as they are want to do when a litigant is out to fleece their client (before they have the opportunity to raid the coffers first).
Christian was accused of being a male hustler, a gold-digger, a straight dude with no allegiance to anything but a fast buck.
On the contrary, on one brief encounter, I determined that Marc was most certainly gay - or at a minimum - at least bisexual..
For example, one day after devouring a tasty lunch at the French Marketplace in West Hollywood, I strolled into the men's room to snatch up a bit of tissue to blow my nose.
Right away, I noticed a pair of feet parked on the floor inside the stall to the cubicle, so I decided to wait a sec until the guest finished up so I could take care of my own little business.
As I leaned against the wall, I suddenly spotted Marc Christian taking a whiz at the urinal, about two feet away from where I was standing.
The moment his name flashed inside my fuzzy little head, he turned in my direction, and gave me the once-over.
I swear to God!
Then, a second or two later, he stepped back from the urinal, and exposed his half-aroused co** to me!
Whoa nellie!
The rumors were true; he was obviously hung like a horse when "rock" (no pun intended) hard.
No wonder Rock was shacked up with the guy (although I understand that Hudson was no slouch in the meat and potatoes department, either, if you get my drift).
Christian was tempting!
There was a bad-boy quality about him that was kind-of sexually arousing!
But, as far as I was concerned, there was too much baggage.
Bottom line?
I'm not inclined towards toilet-room sex.
Romance me, Dudes.
That's the quickest way to get me into the sack.
Unless you're a handsome blond surfer with chiseled abs in ragged blue jeans, that is!
Brief encounter with Marc Christian @ French Marketplace
