Thoughts on Thor Arnold and Lee Nolan's eleven year friendship with Freddie

LOTV wrote:

@TSO. Funnily enough I broke my self imposed rule of not reading books on Freddie for Somebody to Love, I'd read some good reviews.
I found it quite a depressing read, had to read something light after it. I had no knowledge of Patient zero and any of the background to the virus.

Must confess I was skeptical from the off when it talks about HIV coming from a bloody carcass.

In it's defense it does also rebuff the Dugas as patient 0 theory and doesn't present all as fact, rather hypothesis. Perhaps a slightly thicker skin required with regards to the book?

On that note, do I bother with This is the real life? I honestly don't think there's an anecdote I haven't heard on Fred, indeed even the gentlemen on here who knew him back up the consistent narrative that he could be immensely private and in some ways nobody knew him.

With regards to Freddie's Loves, I've written this before I don't mind it. Yes it's trashy old nonsense but come on lets not re-invent the man as a saint. As written before I think Thor comes across fine on it. It's not to be taken too seriously, surely? Freddie liked fun. And hey I'd be well chuffed if after my death the size of my appendage is still talked about, sadly I think this will not be the case ;-)

Btw I was told something about Freddie's death by someone in the music industry a year or two after which I'm not even sure I want to ask opinion on, I'm worried it could potentially be controversial. It's not insulting or anything though.

One thing I had a problem with in the STL book: the claims he had hairy leukoplakia, which he had seen a NYC doctor about in 1982 (in the middle of a US tour) Their source? A barman who knew Kenny Everett.

That is not good enough. I don't buy it.

Also with photographs, tour footage and plenty of eyewitnesses, no one has yet mentioned him having anything of the sort. Until then, it stays in the bullshit bin.

I had no problem with Freddie's Loves in general, I don't know why people get upset that Phoebe and Thor made 'well-endowed' comments because anyone with eyes can see it wasn't small. LMAO

It's a light-hearted insight into the fun he had in the gay clubs and nice to hear from his friends etc. My only issue with it is it feeds into the Lesley Ann Jones biography nonsense with the 'he suddenly flipped his sexuality and went with a big ugly woman' narrative. I have lost count of sources that say the Barbara stuff is nonsense and doesn't fit with reality. Even her friend was on it saying 'maybe - if he wasn't homosexual [they would have been together].' She wasn't a lover, so was pointless being there. All it's done is throw petrol on the sexuality debate, which shouldn't even be a debate.

LOTV now I'm curious about what it was you heard about his passing!

Captianjory my thoughts exactly. Someone had explained all the issues with the Somebody To Love book on the facebook weeks ago and you have hit everything they covered!

The Squirrelly One wrote:

LOTV

I dont even think it's about having a thick skin to read Somebody To Love. I think it's just another tabloid wrapped in a pretty cover. It had all kinds of misinformation and also tried to say Freddie was gay "until" he was bisexual with Barbara Valentin which is just Lesley Jones bull. It never happened but that didn't stop this book from "gay erasing" Freddie as others have put it. I personally think books like that are not only spreading false info but are slapping the gay community in the face by claiming Freddie wasn't one of them. Not to mention Freddie. Yes he was very private but he also told Peter Freestone that if something was to be written about him he wanted it to be honest. Honestly he was not bisexual and I honestly I think all information in books should (ideally) come from close friends and family only. That's why I would like to see Thor and Lee come out with one. At least theirs would be an honest first-hand account.

The symptoms it claimed Freddie had also didn't match some of the stuff Peter has discussed.

Btw LOTV were you the one who was going to see the concert the other day? How was it?

THIS YESSSS, I agree so much I'm shouting.

It was good insofar as it shows what it was like for a gay man living in 60s/70s Britain, how they had no role models, were seen as comedy stereotype figures on TV and there were quotes from contemporary gay people about how life was for them. Very interesting.

THEN suddenly it copy/pastes Lesley Ann's book into it, all the Barbara stuff is there without question, no fact checking or critiquing done: suddenly he was a bi man, after all that 'gay men have to hide it' plus quotes where Freddie DIRECTLY CALLED HIMSELF GAY (to multiple people) are kind of swept away and gay is replaced with bi.

They just erased the struggle he had in the late 60s - early 70s and that is kind of disrespectful. It was a long journey for him to get to the point he was happy to be gay.

There is a radio interview out there where Freddie had to postpone due to illness and a few days? later when he actually does the interview...the Broadcaster claims he wasn't sure if Fred was Really sick.......until Fred shows him his tongue...which the Broadcaster claims Fred's tongue looks to have a Duffel Coat on it!!
I work in Dentistry.....and while I didn't see his tongue personally.....the description fits hairy leukoplakia!

Which...by the way can be a symptom of a depleted immune system....and Even HIV

Captianjory I agree 100%. My family have been in-person autograph collectors for years and my uncle Charles met Freddie and the band 2 times to grab autographs. He was by no means close to Freddie or knew him personally but told me that even on those very brief meetings it was "obvious" that Freddie was gay in the way he carried himself and above all he told me over and over that Freddie was one of the only musicians out of the hundreds he met that left him feeling like he was " in the presence of greatness".
If a total stranger could tell he was gay how could "biographers" not look into those Barbara claims and see how fake it was?
Being gay didn't define him but it was a part of his story and it's wrong to erase it or mislabel it imo!

It could have also been Candida.......

I have been googling it. The only way to control it to be on meds constantly. Freestone never mentioned Freddie taking any meds during that time. During one of the conventions he was asked about Freddie taking medication. Peter said he was asked to get absolutely everything for him even a Tylenol for a headache. He would have known if Freddie was taking any meds for anything like that hairy thing. He said before he had AIDS in 87 Freddie never took any meds at all outside of the odd headache pill. He didn't have that stuff they claim he did. There would have been photos and Peter would have remembered it. In photos of him in the mid and even late 80s he didn't have it on his tongue so if he did have it then he would have been on meds. That peter would have known about.

That radio interview was probably from a cold. My mom's been a nurse for years. It's a common thing.

Candida... yeah that's pretty nasty too lol.

Blenkolove wrote:

There is a radio interview out there where Freddie had to postpone due to illness and a few days? later when he actually does the interview...the Broadcaster claims he wasn't sure if Fred was Really sick.......until Fred shows him his tongue...which the Broadcaster claims Fred's tongue looks to have a Duffel Coat on it!!
I work in Dentistry.....and while I didn't see his tongue personally.....the description fits hairy leukoplakia!

Yeah I know the one you mean, but that is 1985, between Japan tour and Live Aid. The book was talking about 1982. Also it wasn't curable. The 1985 thing wasn't permanent. It could be a yeast infection.

Sorry if this topic is grossing people out hahaha. I'll stop

Hairy leukoplakia......depending on the cause....can be reversed w a round of medication..in dental..we use a compound call MIRACLE MOUTH RINSE Wa steroid,antifungal,antibacterial mix

Thor????Chime in plz

The Squirrelly One wrote:

Captianjory I agree 100%. My family have been in-person autograph collectors for years and my uncle Charles met Freddie and the band 2 times to grab autographs. He was by no means close to Freddie or knew him personally but told me that even on those very brief meetings it was "obvious" that Freddie was gay in the way he carried himself and above all he told me over and over that Freddie was one of the only musicians out of the hundreds he met that left him feeling like he was " in the presence of greatness".
If a total stranger could tell he was gay how could "biographers" not look into those Barbara claims and see how fake it was?
Being gay didn't define him but it was a part of his story and it's wrong to erase it or mislabel it imo!

Yes! Villiers and I often talk about this! Every mannerism is that of the archetypal gay queen. The way he walked, stood, things he said. Everything.

Unfortunately when you point this out to some fans, they yell that stereotypes are bad, how 'it's wrong to make blanket statements about ALL gays being camp'. The fact is, the stereotypes exist for a reason and Freddie fits so many of them and it's not a bad thing. Someone said Freddie was hyper masculine at all times. Links were thrown their way depicting him shrieking in his own home, and dancing gayly across the stage. Well...they got blocked for it!

I have a few gay friends who are camp and effeminate and their intonations when they're being sarcastic make me scream with laughter. From people's descriptions, Freddie comes across the same. I think that's why I like him, I reckon I'd have got on with him!

Blenkolove wrote:

Hairy leukoplakia......depending on the cause....can be reversed w a round of medication..in dental..we use a compound call MIRACLE MOUTH RINSE Wa steroid,antifungal,antibacterial mix

Thor????Chime in plz

Did treatment exist in the early 80s though?
I don't believe Freddie had it.

The source in the book was a London barman friend of Kenny Everett's. What the hell would he know?

It's not a good enough source; it's hearsay that doesn't fit with footage of the time. If he had it, you'd see it in his mouth at the Milton Keynes concert and the many photos from the tour.

soz for blank post below. oops