At a time when gay men were oppressed beyond belief...

I dunno. I don’t get it dude.

Gay men found someone whose life was more tragic than theirs.

Other than being the girl in the "Wizard of Oz." I have never paid her much attention.

She was vulnerable, and it showed.

[quote]But lots of other Hollywood stars had tragic lives and even expressed more overt support for the gay community

Back then? In the 50's and 60's? When it wasn't cool or edgy to know gay people let alone stick up for them? Like who?

YOU and YOUR NAME are part of the problem.

I remember seeing an interview of her in the '60s and she was asked about her support by "homosexuals" and she distanced herself from them.

Her popularity with gay men can be traced back to a remark she made about Frank Sinatra:

[quote]Now, I don't mean giving a blow job, but a girl's gotta get fucked now and again!

[quote] more overt support for the gay community then Judy

THAN

[quote] Back then? In the 50's and 60's? When it wasn't cool or edgy to know gay people let alone stick up for them? Like who?

More in the '70s. Some stars began to acknowledge that they had gay fans and that they were okay with that.

Like who R10. Who are these plethora of other stars that were just as embracing of gays? Liberace?

And no, Judy is really more of a 60's star. There is a big difference in social acceptance between the 60's and the 70's.

I am ancient by DL standards, and I know younger men who feel the connection to Judy OP types about, but I have never connected with her in this way. I remember hearing on the radio when she died, on a Sunday night, but I never thought much about her again until I had a roommate who played her music and Liza's to the exclusion of everything else.

If I had an icon, a diva, well, I posted in the "hairbrush mic" thread that I had put a towel on my head and sang to 1960s Cher. But Judy, never.

[quote]I am ancient by DL standards,

You mean ancient *even* by DL standards. "Ancient by DL standards" = dead by real-world standards.

The way I understand it, Judy was just an excuse for gays to connect with each other. It could have been any concert, the point was the gay audience, not necessarily Judy herself. And I guess there was some schadenfreude for her problems. But did people really actually listen to the singing all the time? For purely aesthetic purposes?

Judy's artistry appealed to gays. I don't think it was so much her personal life. Gay men are attracted to something in those two - mother and daughter. It's their performances and charisma.

[quote]But did people really actually listen to the singing all the time? For purely aesthetic purposes?

I had a friend who listened to her every moment he was home. Judy and Liza. This was in the late '70s. He had quite the collection. At least a hundred LPs.

I gues technically she was a better singer than most later gay icons, but that sounds awful.

[quote] the now gone Judy-Pills

What happened?

Speaking of "sounds awful," I bought a Judy Garland CD for "I Happen to Like New York" and "The Man That Got Away," and the sound quality of her voice is barely listenable. It's almost as bad as the sound of Rufus Wainwright's recorded voice on the Carnegie Hall album. I didn't bother to buy one with "A Foggy Day" (which my Judy-loving friend used to sing as "A Faggy Day").

[quote]the now gone Judy-Pills

[quote]What happened?

He stopped posting here some time in 2010. His blog is still up, but it's been untouched for a decade too.

OP, it’s because Judy really understood the difference between than and then, and gays were also drawn to her impeccable use of plurals.

[quote] OP, it’s because Judy really understood the difference between than and then, and gays were also drawn to her impeccable use of plurals.

I know.

If Judy was still alive she'd be 'Oh-dear'-ing me.

[quote]OP, it’s because Judy really understood the difference between than and then, and gays were also drawn to her impeccable use of plurals.

You'll need to explain then, r21, how we ended up with "The Man [italic]That[/italic] Got Away" instead of "The Man [italic]Who[/italic] Got Away."

Ancient by DL standards is 25+.

The average DLer remembers the Civil War.

But looks 25.

It wasn't just gays who liked her. I remember my parents talking to other parents about her and other performers of the day. She was considered one of the better shows to go to, usually sold out. The takeaway I sort of got was that she was really different from most of the other performers of the day. Not part of the Rat Pack or glib one liner type of shows. There was a sort of raw honesty coupled with a dramatic voice and deep sadness behind the music. She had the certain something people connected with on a gut level that was rare for the time.

I've never been a big fan myself.

Talented, yes, but she's never grabbed me unlike Davis or Crawford...

[quote]You'll need to explain then, [R21], how we ended up with "The Man That Got Away" instead of "The Man Who Got Away."

Garland didn't write the song.

Great clip from I Could Go on Singing. About six solid minutes of ONE CONTINUOUS TAKE where Judy runs the emotional gamut (gives us peeks of the real her) and the honors us with a song.

TALENT like this is one of the reasons we love her.

Who is Judy Pills?

[quote] The average DLer remembers the Civil War.

I'll hang out with that crew any day rather than be forced to tolerate TikTok Troll and threads every three minutes about "thicc boys," cake, and which ass is better. Datalounge is turning into # alounge.

[quote]Not part of the Rat Pack or glib one liner type of shows. There was a sort of raw honesty

Garland was famous for having canned one-liners. She discouraged friends from seeing her show twice because, if they did, they would see that her "raw honesty" was rehearsed. Even the "forgotten lyrics" at each show was scripted.

The song from above clip.

[quote]how we ended up with "The Man That Got Away" instead of "The Man Who Got Away."

Stealth T's at work. Damn pronouns...

[quote] Who is Judy Pills?

[quote] Judy-Pills was one of the most talented posters ever. He also had a lot of pain and struggle throughout his life. Despite that, he had a good heart, which is hard to encounter in Texas (where I believe he lived). At a time when gay men were oppressed beyond belief, they identified with his struggles, and he theirs.

[quote] Judy-Pills was one of the most talented posters ever

Ha! Ha! Ha!

I'll say!

Judy Pills is a Datalounge martyr. She died for our sins. Well, a couple of them. Every year, on June 22, Dataloungers gather to make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of the Blessed Pills in Philidelphia (known by the cult as "Pillidelphia") to say "Hail MARY!" twenty times before passing out from benzos and booze.

Wait a minute. Did Judy Pills have long-term AIDS, and killed himself a couple years ago?