Sadly, Patrick Swayze succumbed to pancreatic cancer yesterday at age 57.
For the past few months there was a swirl of gossip and innuendo surrounding Swayze on the heels of a tabloid feature that reported the charismatic star was on his "death bed" and saying his last good-byes.
In fact, the scandalous heartless feature was the subject of much controversy.
I even jumped into the fray when I happened to turn on the TV one night and caught the tail end of a scurrilous report by Mary Hart on Entertainment tonight.
Frankly, I was so flabbergasted by her lack of sensitivity (and bad taste) that I penned a post on the issue.
Post: 03/12/09
http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/03/mary-hartpatrick-swayze-coverage-on.html
Shortly after that, Patrick Swayze sat down with Barbara Walters for an intimate one-on-one interview to set the record straight.
When asked point blank if he was gettting his affairs in order and preparing for death, Swayze was quite adamant that he was not doing anything of the sort.
Then, he proceeded to lambaste the tabloid press.
In so many words, he labelled their reprehensible "ambulance-chasing" as little more than a ghoulish graveside vigil inflicting mental and emotional cruelty in its wake.
In particular, the star of blockbuster hits such as "Ghost" stressed how hurtful the insensitive conduct was to his immediate family and friends.
Swayze was first diagnosed with the pancreatic cancer in 2008 and from the offset tried to keep his illness under wraps - with the ultimate aim - of facing the life-threatening cancer privately and with a modicum of dignity.
The multi-talented star was a classically-trained dancer.
In spite of that, the talented actor with the infectious smile, managed to shake off those shackles.
For example, when he burst onto the silver screen in "Dirty Dancing", he introduced a machismo to the realm of dance that no other triple-threat in the industry had managed to accomplish 'til then (or to this day).
The passionate horse-breeder was no slouch when it came to the work ethic, either.
By his own admission, Swayze was also inclined to take risks, too.
There was a lot of integrity lurking behind those engaging dimples!
Although he was offered approximately $7 million bucks to appear in a sequel to "Dirty Dancing", he graciously passed.
Instead, he gussied himself up and sashayed across the screen in full drag in the off-beat comedy:
"To Wong Foo, thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar"
Personally, I found Patrick's portrayal of a "Queen" more entertaining (and believable) that Travolta's offering in "Hairspray".
Understandably, after the film opened, tongues started to wag.
Was Patrick gay - or at least - bisexual?
If so, it was doubtful - for career reasons - that he would ever have "outed" himself.
After all, during the filmmaking era Swayze broke into the Hollywood scene, producers tended to shy away from casting "gay" men when it came to "macho" leading-man roles.
A few years ago, I met a pretty young male actor who claimed to have "dirty danced" with Patrick between the sheets.
Rumors also floated around Hollywood that both he - and his lovely wife - were "gay" and that theirs was a marriage of convenience.
Albeit, one based on a great deal of honesty, mutual respect, and friendship.
It just may have been one of the best-kept secrets in Tinsel Town, eh?
News at 11!
