JUNE 25, 1993

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 5

OBITUARY

Chuck Bailey: an illusion that became a legend

by Zak Haley

Chuck Bailey was born on July 14, 1961 in Mentor, Ohio. He grew up there and graduated from Mentor High School in 1981. After that he attended Inter-State Beauty College. Chuck went to work for Richard Stevens Salon and stayed there for ten years. He was one of the leading makeup artists in the city and his services were required by the cream of the crop of East and West side women. This man could paint!

In 1987 Chuck began to develop his persona as Brittany Fox, the illusion of a gorgeous California blond. This was not an easy task because Chuck was a body builder and that took a lot to hide. Brittany Fox went on to become Miss Victory News, and even later in 1990 he was awarded the coveted title of Miss Cleveland (MTM's award). I was there at that show and it was the high point of his career. Every time he walked out on that stage at U4ia the crowd went crazy-there was no contest. When he did "Vogue" by Madonna he brought down the house. Miss Fox was flawless.

Chuck moved to New York City and lived there about a year. He began getting sick in New York, came home, got well again, and then went to live in Boca Raton, Florida, for several months, thinking the weather would help. Once again he fell ill. He returned to Cleveland and passed from us on April 16, 1993, with his family and

friends in attendance.

I first met Chuck Bailey when he was 17; he used to sneak into Dimensions and dance the night away. He had lots of hair then and was very thin. When he was in beauty school, Chuck also started lifting weights and became a big hunk. For awhile he was a very successful stripper. Over the years we stayed friends. Like all great artists, Chuck was temperamental and sometimes difficult but this was always aimed at being the best when it came to illusion. I am going to miss him, and I am going to miss Brittany. You could always count on her to spice things up. I am lucky; I have lots of pictures and memories.

Gay-themed children's story hour has low turnout

by Mike Radice

with her lesbian parents. Daddy's Roommate, by Michael Willhoite, addressed a "There are usually three times this many child's reaction to acquiring a gay stepfapeople!" said Judith Roth, a mother who ther. The children responded to the stories attended a recent gay and lesbian-themed by spontaneously addressing events hapChildren's Story Hour with her preschool-pening in their families, and by drawing age daughter. The Story Hour, held on Saturday, June 12, was one in a series offered by Borders Book Shop, in Beachwood. Story Hour themes vary from week to week, and are intended to introduce children to a variety of literature.

A group of seven enthralled children, ages 5 months to 5 years, were in attendance. Normal attendance ranges from 15 to 20 children. One parent pulled her child from the story corner and left the store after realizing that it had a lesbian-gay theme. The Story Hour included readings from three books. We're Different and We're the Same, from the Sesame Street series, addressed the diversity of physical traits among people (such as color, sex, nose shape), and how those traits were irrelevant in deciding whether or not a person had worth. Gloria Goes to Gay Pride, by L. Newman, was about a young girl's excitement about marching in a Gay Pride Parade

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pictures of family members.

According to Jodi London, the storyteller, phone calls were received from area residents complaining about the store's decision to offer a lesbian-gay Story Hour. London also expressed disappointment over the low turnout from the local gay-lesbian community. The Story Hour was announced in the Plain Dealer and the Gay People's Chronicle.

Six of the participating children regularly attend the Saturday Story Hours. The seventh child was that of a lesbian couple, Wendy and Maryann. The couple came to offer support for the bookstore's decision to offer a gay-lesbian theme, as well as to satisfy their curiosity about the reaction of the children.

Store officials commented that the three books used during the Story Hour are in stock, and range in price from eight to ten dollars.

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