SPOTLIGHT
by mark hernandez
Mann’s first novel published in 1998 was
Men From The Boys in which 33 year-old
Jeff is having a bad year in Provincetown
with the loss of his youth, his hair, his lover
Lloyd’s passion for their relationship, the
death of both his dad and pet and his ex is
succumbing to AIDS. While he’s a regular
guy in unsurprising circumstances, he
finds his way through it all in a remark-
able way.
Five years later Mann published Where
Rage: You’ve also written a book discovering new truths about gays and lesbians in the early The Boys Are, a much more lively “five
days of Hollywood called Behind the Screen. Were you a movie buff as a kid? years later” sequel with Jeff and Lloyd
WJM: Oh yeah. Definitely. Absolutely and still am. It was writing Wisecracker that now estranged but actually thinking
I ended up with so much surplus material that they said, “There’s another book about getting back together in spite of
here.” I’d interviewed so many gay and lesbian survivors of the studio era. Gay their different lives. Lloyd’s now running
history in Hollywood is ironic because it’s the fact that gay people were so much a P-Town guesthouse, Jeff has moved to
involved. The gay experience and involvement in Hollywood was tremendous on Boston and is well into the circuit party
so many different levels. Yet, because of homophobia, you’ll find a lot of people scene and the boys try to work out what’s
scared to admit that or you’ll get other people who’ll say, “The gays must be exag- important in life.
gerating this! They are trying to claim everything now.” You get some gay authors
who’ve written outrageously sensational books without any documentation all All American Boy is a departure from the
based on rumor and gossip and all that. first two novels and much more moving,
My struggle was, I want to document this as best I can. To do it without sensation dark and heartfelt. Wally returns to his
or scandal and really try to study it as seriously as somebody who would study pastoral hometown after getting a call
the Jewish experience in Hollywood or the experience of women in Hollywood, to from his mother whom he hasn’t seen
look at it with that same kind of reasoned and open-minded consideration. I think in a decade. Then a series of surprising
it’s important to give someone his or her full due. To understand what their story revelations unfold added to the difficult
was and to do it in a way that has respect and understanding and also tells the and unresolved memories of his own
truth. I don’t think there is anything wrong with telling the truth. childhood.
Rage: This is a “oh no he didn’t” moment…but your next book, is it really called Hello Gor-
geous!? In Men Who Love Men we return again to
WJM: (laughter) It is. I’ve become the gayest author on the face of the planet. My Provincetown and now the focus is on
editor really wanted me to tackle Barbra Streisand. Again, I said, “Why? It’s been Jeff’s best friend Henry who in our last
done a million times.” He said, “I don’t think what we’ve ever known is how she did episode Jeff had helped transform from a
it.” How she came out of Brooklyn from nowhere and was this kind of awkward nerd into a hottie in Boston. Henry’s now
little girl with very unusual looks. How did she become by the end of the decade, managing Jeff and Lloyd’s guesthouse
the biggest star in the world? So, that’s what I’m doing. It’s called Hello Gorgeous! but Jeff finds it challenging to keep up his
Becoming Barbra Streisand and begins in 1961 and ends in 1968. It’s a real close-up fast ways year-round in P-Town.
of this young girl and how she transformed herself. They would like this out by
2012, which would be essentially her 50th year in show business. In last year’s Objects of Desire we switch
Rage: Nice. coasts and follow Danny who started life
WJM: It’s not an authorized book but I don’t think she would be upset with it. as a hot WeHo go-go boy but has now
Just as I understand Elizabeth is happy with this one [How To Be a Movie Star]. I’m settled in Palm Springs at the ripe age of
not turning them into saints by any means. I’m telling the full story…warts and 41. Danny’s now feeling very invisible,
all. But it’s not about scandal or tell-all. I think this will go well for whatever com- including to Kelly, the hot bartender who
memoration there might be in 2012. comes into his life. Kelly ends up helping
Rage: It’s been a pleasure. to restore Danny’s lost passion for life in
WJM: Great. Thank you. this charming story.
40 RAGE monthly | February 2010
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