Fan Forum - View Single Post - Gale Harold/Brian Kinney #187 ~ He cares about us, even when he's hurting

**SojournHeart11** · 09-16-2016, 03:27 PM

I thought I'd post this here, too. From FB about Gale's time at the con, courtesy of Susan King.

Quote:

Susan King
7 hrs

First I'm going to say, when Gale showed up in Bilbao and I realized how much pain he was in, my first thought was, "****, no. This isn't right. Call the whole thing off." The idea that he was going to put himself in physical pain so that I could have an enjoyable weekend was completely abhorrent to me. Because make no mistake, Gale was seriously injured. I've seen several people post things like: "I'm glad he wasn't seriously hurt," but the truth is, he WAS, he was in a lot of sometimes very obvious pain, but downplayed it if you mentioned it to him, and he came ANYWAY. I don't know the intimate details of his contract, but I would find it hard to believe that he couldn't have gotten out of it had he chosen to. But Gale is incredibly professional, and he knew a lot of fans would be screwed if he cancelled, so there he was. To not have come would probably have been abhorrent to him.

I've already commented on the picture thing, so I won't again. I will say that putting away my camera was incredibly liberating. It really allowed me to focus on the now, the full experience of what was going on around me. I think if I go back again I won't be getting out my camera for panels even if pictures are encouraged.

Questions, I have a memory like a sieve, but I'll try... Monica has done a great job with the pop culture references. These words are my approximation of theirs filtered through my memory and jet-lag. Please correct me on anything you remember differently. I apologize for any misstatements.

Gale said his favorite Bowie songs were Panic in Detroit and Rebel, Rebel. He didn't get to meet Bowie when he was shooting Scott Walker, because they were working in London at that time.

I asked Randy what he thought his role was as a gay actor/celebrity/man with regard to the anti-gay laws like HB-2 cropping up across the US. He said No different than any other persons: to speak out against what was going on. He said the cast all started wearing pink triangle buttons during the Entr'Acte in silent protest. And of course he started improv'ing a line about not being allowed to use the restroom. He talked about the theme of Cabaret and how it is SO important to speak out against bigotry.

I asked about Randy's tattoo. He said the design had a lot of meaning but that it was personal. He said the New York artists name but it went right by me, maybe someone else got it? He collaborated on the design and it took a couple of 6 hour sessions to complete.

For some reason I asked what their favorite childhood Halloween costume was. Randy said he was usually really disappointed with his costumes as a kid, because he made them. He would dream them and build them up in his mind for weeks and then the reality would be this sad thing pieced together with bits of paper and fabric scraps. 😂😂😂 Gale, in typical Gale fashion, answered, "A dead train conductor." Is it me or did he use this answer at a previous Con? Or am I just having the most bizarre deja vu ever? I suspect this answer may be Gale-code for "dumb question."

My absolute favorite question was when I asked Gale what it felt like for him when he rode his motorcycle. I was nervous to ask; I have no idea why, but this felt to me like an intimate question. He said he felt a lot of things. He liked the speed, obviously. But he thought it was maybe mainly the sense of control over such a powerful machine beneath you. And when you have owned a bike long enough, and get to know it, the feeling that you can anticipate how it will react, and work as one. But he kept going back to the power/control aspect as the main feeling he liked.

I'll share more bits if I remember. There were good questions, and, there were dumb questions, like any Con, but of course that is subjective.

Both men were incredibly gracious and friendly. I would have been Queen Bitch in Gale's situation; I truly don't know how he did it. He is remarkable. Not sure how he could have gone up in my estimation but, man, he did in a big way.

The only criticism of the Con I have is the lack of a closing panel...just a brief thank you and goodbye to everyone en masse from Gale. I was fortunate enough to have the "Close-Up," so I got that, and got to watch him walk away up the street, knowing it was over, having a second to process my feelings. But when I got back to the hotel, it was obvious there was a sense of INCOMPLETE, of UNFINISHED. It wasn't a fitting end for a happy weekend.

My thoughts and heart are with Gale, now, hoping he is resting and healing well, hoping he is amongst friends and can not be stubborn long enough to let them help him, the exasperating man! I wish this with everything in me. He gave me so much, I wish I could give him this.
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