From c1950sboy on http://www.yehoodi.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=888044&si...ea2e9b3250591cb27e4c
Rapture Cafe was packed to the rafters last night for a spectacular
memorial to Dean Johnson as reports of his suspicious death are
finally beginning to appear in the Wash. D.C. and New York media.
Sure was great to see how many people loved and respected him. M C Hattie Hathaway had to break up the tributes into several shows, so many people wanted to speak, so I only stood through one round inside and then went out on the equally mobbed sidewalk to reminisce with friends. Michael ("The Hours") Cunningham was there, gay super-poet Bobby Miller came all the way from Cape Cod, and if you had the current issue (Oct.) of OUT Magazine in your hand, you could have checked off many of the faces in its "Creratures of the Night" photo splash. I thought I saw Linda Simpson squeeze by me, Raven-O across the room, Thomas Onoratio in tears on the sidewalk, super-promoters
Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell who hosted Dean's last performance at their HOWL Festival just two weeks ago- Chi Chi was so sad she could barely talk and if you know Chi Chi... Lady Bunny in black teddy, huge hair and (of course) black veil...
Promoter and Rapture owner Joe Birdsong read an hilarious short story published a while back re. how he and Dean had thrown a wild dance party and the go-go boys had failed to show up. Dean then pumped joe full of booze and Viagra and said, "Guess we'll have to do it ourselves!" Sorry, can't print the rest of the details here! But the best tribute I caught inside was Michael Musto reading an interview he had done with Dean 20 years ago. Between Dean's wit, Michael's writing and Michael's ad-libs, we were all howling and cheering. If you gotto go, leaving joy behind is definately the way to be remembered. We love you Dean, and so many of us miss you so very much!