Patrick Swayze was a big part of my teenage years, and his passing has hit me in a way the passing of other celebrities hasn’t (with the exception of Heath Ledger) . I was a huge fan of the television miniseries North and South (if you haven’t seen it, it has a serious bromance between main characters George and Orry). And of course, there was Dirty Dancing. I cannot tell you how many times my friends and I watched that movie. Nobody puts Baby in a corner. At the time, I could probably quote the entire thing.

And then there was To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. That movie impacted me in a way I wasn’t expecting. I was impressed with all three men who took a chance not many actors would. Here’s a quote from Swayze on his experience.

From: greginhollywood.com

On playing drag queen Vida Boheme in “To Wong Foo” : “It was an opportunity to create a character who was truly an angel. But I thought playing a drag queen was a big ol’ lark, and I’d play a big old queen. But in rehearsal when I play-acted it, it didn’t work. I realized her job was to be the heart of this movie. {Miss Vilda} stands for every drag queen on the planet or for anyone who has been misunderstood. It turned out to be the most emotional thing in my entire career and I’m pretty proud of it.”

I think the best way to honor a celebrity is to continue to enjoy his work. I think I’ll go put in my DVD of North and South now.

Rest in peace, Patrick Swayze (you’ll always be Orry Main to me).

Sloan Parker