After reading Rich Juzwiak‘s “Too High To Be Gay On Fire Island” piece on Gawker, I came to the conclusion that the modern-day gay culture of Fire Island sounds like my own personal idea of hell… But, uh, that’s just me! I am basically a grumpy old man with no tolerance for loud dance music, havings “kikis” or large groups of people who think they’re hotter than me (who also think I care that they think they’re hotter than me).
Having said that, I’ve never actually been to Fire Island. It’s been built up in my head as this judgmental, body-obsessed place where I’d be afraid to take my shirt off, when it’s probably a ton of fun if you’re drunk and surrounded by the right people.
“Don’t knock it, ’til you try it!” is what I’m telling myself right now!
Yet I’d be more likely to try it if someone invited me to stay with them for free… So if you happen to have an extra bed in your house one this summer, consider inviting an anonymous blogger (me) for a weekend in the sun. He might blow you in the Meat Rack to show his gratitude. Because he has to do at least one stereotypical thing if he’s on Fire Island, right?
I’m bringing this all up because I just watched the trailer for the 1979 film Fire Island Fever, and it made me wish I could go back to a simpler time when gays did enough drugs to tolerate being around one another. Kidding, kidding! I could never go back in time. Manhunt didn’t exist back then.
– Dewitt
Photo credit: Bijou World
Click through to watch a trailer for this film:
The full film is now available through Bijou World.
Fire Island is exactly the kind of judgmental, body-obsessed place you imagine it to be. As well, although the drugs themselves are different, hard drug use there is more prevalent now than it was in 1979.
Definitely go with a group of friends if you decide to give it a try. It is a physically beautiful place, notwithstanding many of its occupants.
Fire Island Fever..a male condition! Love it!
Went there many years ago, before I actually knew I was gay, but I sensed there was something going on there I wanted to be a part of. Never went back, though after I figured it all out one night walking up Third Avenue in new York!
Whatever the story line, these guys were looking pretty good. And no tattoos!
Ah, the good old days…
The guy peeking in the shower looks ALOT like a young Kevin Sorbo of Hercules…
That guy is Larry Paige! He’s also in Dune Buddies, Twelve at Noon, Click Click, and Track Meet.
i guess you and they are right: in order to be around [the type of {queens} who apparently tend to frequent Fire Island, and similar-such places], ya basically hafta use drugs.
for those who don’t even drink alcohol as myself, to get high, i suppose i would definitely feel alienated in such an environment.
da?