re: #43 Joe Bacon 🌹

Before Bowie came on the scene I remember all the build up for Jobriath. Billboards, magazines, radio spots touting him as “The Next Big Thing” who openly admitted that he was gay.

The backlash to the publicity campaign was brutal.

Now Jobriath is just a footnote in a trivia game. But I remember when he gave a concert in Pittsburgh that was no holds barred. Only The Sex Pistols first concert in Homestead PA (which I atteneded) and Wendy O Williams and the Plasmatics topped Jobriath in outrageousness. Jobriath in outrageous costumes prancing about—well my college buddies never saw anything like that. In comparison, David Bowie coming to town was as mainstreamed as Frank Sinatra!

I never heard of Jobraith before today! But I was a young teenager when David Bowie was being fabulous so I think I’m a few years behind you. Anyway it wasn’t being gay so much - we all knew about Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I think Elton John was out, or at least rumored about(?) It was the whole package.