| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Malik Shakur at malik@independentcreativeartists.com info@damngoodman.com 310-694-4196 / 323-758-1337 50 years of Motown music INSPIRES 50 years of a diverse DYNAMIC life LOS ANGELES—Actor and television shopping host Dale Madison was one years old when Berry Gordy formed Motown records. As Motown celebrates 50 years of music-making history, Madison writes his memoirs as a tribute to the music he calls “the soundtrack of his life.” Motown legend and original member of the Supremes Mary Wilson says, "Dale, what took you so long?" Ms. Wilson is referring to “DREAMBOY: My Life as a QVC Host and Other Greatest Hits” by author, actor and entrepreneur Dale Madison. As a kid growing up on the gritty streets of Baltimore, Dale Madison idolized the glitz and glamour that the Supremes personified for an era in American music history. So it seemed natural for Madison to shape his memoir as an homage to the group, and in particular to the 1984 Mary Wilson book, “DREAMGIRL: My Life as a Supreme.” “I had such an emotional attachment to the incredible cultural success of the Supremes in the 1960s” Madison says. “At different points in my life I felt as if I were each one of the Supremes. I can’t tell you how many times my mother caught me singing like Diana Ross whenever I got an ‘A’ on an assignment from school.” The book explores with candor and charm his Baltimore childhood, his straight and gay relationships, his varied careers, his turbulent four years as a shopping channel host at QVC, and his current work as a bit player in Hollywood movies. Diva Supreme Mary Wilson says, "Great idea!", and you'll agree when you read this anthology of greatest hits by Dale Madison. In an unexpected twist, Madison’s short film of the same name succeeded before the release of the book it was intended to promote. The film “DREAMBOY …”earned four nominations at February’s 2008 San Diego Black Film Festival and won the LGBT film award. In addition Dale emcees a regular night of Motown and Soul music at San Diego's newest, premiere dining and live music establishment, Anthology near the hip neighborhood of "Little Italy" on the southern end of India Street. “As I celebrate 50 years on this earth,” says Madison, of Inglewood, California,” I can’t think of a more perfect party machine than the music of Motown.” ### |
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DREAMBOY: MY LIFE AS A QVC HOST & OTHER GREATEST HITS
Reviewed by Stanley Bennett Clay
Even though writer-actor-entertainer-former TV host Dale Guy
Madison partially dedicates his incredibly likable and spiritually
uplifting Memoir to “every little boy who dreamed of sparkle, glitter,
and glamour while singing Supreme songs in the mirror, but was
ashamed to let anyone know it”, there is no shame in his game. Mr.
Madison’s personal tale of cock-eyed optimism is buoyant enough
to pull the most submerged pessimist above the waters of despair
to breathe in all the good that is life and the living of it, and to
celebrate the good that is love with all its crazy ups and downs,
particularly, the greatest love of all, self-love.
And what makes his celebration of life and love even more
wonderful is that there are no lectures, no preachments, just
personal anecdotal snippets of his life as an unapologetic all-things-
Supremes-gay-boy affectionately shared with humor, wit and the
humanity of the perfection of being imperfect.
Named for Dale Evans, wife of 1950’s Western TV star Roy Rogers,
and also named for 50’s “Wagon Train” guest-star Guy Madison
(the author giddily confesses to being conceived on a balmy night in
July 1957, between episodes of “Roy Rogers” and “Wagon Train”),
Dale grew up in Cavalier Manor, a middle class neighborhood in
Portsmouth, Virginia with his doting mother, handsome father, and
his older brother Ricky and younger sister Elsie. Dale was a happy
and personable child with stardust in his eyes and a desire for
stardom and fame prompted by the appearance of his favorite
group, The Supremes, on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Not even the
eventual divorce of his parents—he remained close to both—could
dampen his indomitable spirit.
He paralleled the meteoric careers of Diana, Mary, and Flo with his
own, starring in most of his grade school plays, making the morning
announcements over his elementary school’s PA system, and even
suffering a Florence Ballard setback when a pubescent voice
change resulted in him being replaced by a male teen-aged Cindy
Birdsong wannabee in the school’s production of “A Christmas
Carol.”
Unwavering in his devotion to the Divas of Motown, and having
spent his high school and college years in a typically traumatic
exploration of his homosexuality, the now 23-year-old openly gay
entertainment aspirant headed to New York with his best friend to
see his first Broadway show, “Dreamgirls,” of course. Short on
funds for a hotel room, he and his friend spend the night under a
bridge near Christopher Street in the red Volvo they drove up in,
and it is here where Dale has his epiphany moment. He had
determined that he was going to be in “Dreamgirls.” But a chance
audition for the national touring company of the show in 1985
turned in what Dale describes as a “bad American Idol moment.”
Still, he walked out with his head held high knowing that one day
he “would be close to the Supremes, have an iota of fame close to
their fame, or both.”
Throughout the years, he managed to meet all of the Supremes
except Florence Ballard, from the Divine Miss D to Susaye Green,
and relates many memorable experiences, but nothing quite
compares to his own personal world-wind story told in an
enthusiastically hap-hazard nonlinear way.
Becoming Maryland's first male telephone operator, he collapses on
the job, ends up in a coma, and is ultimately admitted to the mental
ward at Sheppard Pratt Hospital where he had numerous affairs on
and off site with other patients as well as “civilians.” This segment
is actually quite funny as drama queen Dale delights in acting out a
“Valley of the Dolls/ Neely O’Hara” fantasy.
Fifteen years after his stint at Sheppard Pratt, the experience re-
played itself in his life when he watched Diana Ross star as a
schizophrenic in a film called “Out of Darkness.” A chill shot down
his back and tears gushed.
“All my life I had imitated Diana Ross,” he remembers saying, “and
there she was, imitating me.”
A true child of the era, Dale’s drug experimentations were as
cavalier as his romantic encounters, and there was plenty of both.
His first major sexcapade was with sexless nineteen-year-old Tim
(a year older than Dale), a black Truman Capote and ex-Jehovah’s
Witness who used to go door-to-door with his mother, then would
return to the homes of the men who had given him the eye while
his mother preached ‘the good news of the Kingdom.’ Jealousy,
promiscuity, violence, and bad sex made for a lumpy two-year
relationship with Tim, who Dale describes as Anthony Perkins to his
Mahogany.
In an effort to hold on to Dale, Tim introduced him to the
prestigious Arena Players theatre group. Good move for Dale, bad
for Tim. Sexy company actor Vernon Blackstone’s mind-blowing sex-
down was enough to prompt Dale to give Tim the old heave-ho.
Next in the Madison pants was Frizell, a divorced former Baltimore
cop with two daughters, twenty years his senior whose missing
front teeth proved to be a plus in the oral sex area. Frizell taught
special education at West Baltimore Middle School, and used his
connections to finagle a substitute teaching position for the non-
accredited Dale.
Handsome, distinguished, closeted-gay local politician Larry was
the next to fall under Dale’s considerable charm and sexual daring-
do, but this ended when commitment to career trumped
commitment to romance, leaving Dale feeling like Marilyn Monroe
after being dumped by JFK.
Dale then married his girlfriend Judy and stayed ‘true to the pink’
until the marriage ended in divorce two years later. Then there was
Andre, as garish as the gold front tooth he sported, but a partner
truly supportive of Dale’s acting career.
Dale’s next live-in bedmate was a short, freckled faced, thick-waste
(“I like my men with a little meat around the center”) gent by the
name of Ernie James, credentialed with not only some of the best
sex that Dale would ever experience but a shared fanaticism for all
things Supremes.
During all of this, Dale did not neglect his performance career with
included nude modeling at local colleges, acting gigs in various
stage productions, and background extra work in feature films and
television shows shooting in the Baltimore area.
Finally Dale’s dream of being on screen in a starring role came true
when he was hired to be a host on the QVC Fashion Channel,
making for the first time a six-figure-a-year salary plus a $4,000 a
year wardrobe allowance, not to mention creating a new fan base
and hobnobbing with such celebrities as Richard Simmons, Joan
Rivers, and Susan Lucci. He tried hard to get his idol Diana Ross
booked on the show, but to no avail.
It was a dream that lasted 4 years. In the last days at work for
QVC, Dale landed a part in the movie “To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything, Julie Newmar” which starred Wesley Snipe, Patrick
Swayze, and John Leguizamo as a trio of drag queens driving cross-
country from New York to Los Angeles. With the assist of the QVC
wardrobe department, Dale appeared on the movie set as one the
most beautiful movie drag queens the movie crew had laid eyes on,
prompting Wesley Snipes to not only gasp in approval but to have
his picture taken with Dale.
Shortly after “To Wong Foo,” Dale was hired to play another drag
queen in the film “Stonewall,” the story of the historical 1969 gay
uprising.
Riding on his growing reputation as the definitive movie and TV
drag queen performer, Dale had a one-man show created for him
by Darryl Lemont Wharton, a young and talented staff writer on the
TV series “Homicide” (in which Dale also appeared in drag).
The show, “FREEda Slave: Mask of a Diva”, starring Dale as Alfred,
a cross-dresser whose alter ego is the mostly funny, sometimes
sad, always dazzling title character, proved to be a triumph.
Opening in 1994, “FREEda SLAVE” starring Dale Guy Madison, has
been playing across the country ever since, to rave reviews and
standing ovations.
What a full and fascinating life Madison has had, and with his
spirited telling and his generous sharing, it seems like only the
beginning.
Dale Guy Madison may not be as rich or famous as his idol Diana
Ross, but his star and his gold shines bright for many, particularly
for himself. If only more of us could be as pleased as he is when
gazing into the mirror. If only more of us could allow ourselves to
enjoy the thrill of living a purpose-driven life!
Dale Guy Madison’s memoir is the perfect upper read.
Mary Wilson with my friend who inspired
me to write this book, Sam Jennings
me to write this book, Sam Jennings
