The mad, sad, totally fab life of Paul Lynde

Thanks for posting this, OP.

I saw a teaser on this article this morning and forgot to go back to read it.

You’re welcome r1. Oddly, I half posted it as a reminder to myself to do the same.

“”He was afraid if his following was mostly gay, it would open the eyes of his fans that he was also gay and that would end his career.””

Missy please, I would peak through my curtains and see right into Uncle Arthur’s closet.

His voice is annoying.

I remember seeing him at a rest stop restaurant in central Ohio when I was a kid. I was a HUGE fan of his and it was so exciting. But he was hunched over his food, looking grim and shoveling food unsteadily into his mouth. My mom told me to stop staring. "He clearly wants to be left alone," she said.

Looking back, I think what she meant was, "He’s clearly drunk. Don't rile him."

I knew a guy who escorted with PL a number of times He was big and burly, didn't ping in the least IMO. He said they were lying in bed one day and Paul asked him "What are you going to do with your life? This isn't for you."

My friend replied "I want to be an actor.". Paul shot back in his inimitable style " Oh god, just when I was beginning to find you refreshing. ".

He’d be 94-years-old in a few weeks, if he was still alive.

I'll always remember this zinger:

Peter Marshall: "What is something you should never do in bed?"

Paul Lynde: "Point and laugh."

As a black fan, the racism is disappointing (I had heard that before about him) but I always loved him as Uncle Arthur and enjoyed his performances in general. He was obviously a very tortured individual.

Peter M: "Paul, what is it that Dinah Shore is known to throw herself into with great enthusiasm?"

Paul: "A headboard."

Gay men of that generation made certain choices. I'll never hold that against him. As for the racist tirade. It sucks, but a lot of them were. Doesn't change how funny he was.

My favorite:

Peter M: "Why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?"

Paul: "Because chiffon wrinkles.”