Roger-Luc Chayer
This is the news that I feared the most and I dreaded that day when I was going to receive it. This day arrived on May 13, at 9:30, while while taking my coffee and working on a text of this edition, I hear TV talking about Doris Day. I said that there was nothing very important that required such coverage, I jumped from my seat because immediately I had a doubt: Doris died? And CNN confirmed in subtitle his death.
I was immediately seized with great sadness, I felt my heart beat and my throat tighten. At 97 years old it was to be expected, but still, the shock! Because Doris Day has been a supporter of my work at Gay Globe Magazine for many years, since the time we decided to give her a wonderful cover for her work in the field of HIV, but especially for what she had made with the actor Rock Hudson, himself infected with HIV and who died of AIDS.
Doris was a very sincere person both in film, in her songs and in her private life and when she knew that her best friend, the actor Rock Hudson, was living with HIV, at a time when everyone was rejecting people with Alzheimer’s disease. for fear of contracting the virus, Doris ignored all of this to stay with the very sick actor throughout her life. She kissed him publicly, visited him as often as possible and did not hesitate to get involved and support many gay groups since at that time, homosexuals were the most affected community. It is in wishing to honor this kindness and generosity that I was put in contact with the actress, already very old, but just as bubbly and joyful, to inform her first of our editorial choice, and then him ask how she would like our publication to give her back a little of what she did so much for us collectively. And that’s when I got involved in promoting his latest CD for life and his foundation for abused animals.
Doris has always been one of the most generous people in the arts community and even as a simple gay media editor, she appreciated our initiative, and it was with the same generosity that she sent me a photo autographed, by mail, several months after our homage cover.
Her life was not easy: divorces, the son of cancer, personal bankruptcy, despite all the pitfalls, she remained dignified, like any Hollywood queen had to be. It leaves a great cultural heritage, classic movies and records.