Give her some walking room: Octavia St. Laurent presses for the last time

The world is decidedly a much less fiercer place than it once was, with the confirmed passing of Octavia St. Laurent. For those of you children not in the know, Miss Octavia was one of the legendary stars of director Jennie Livingston's fan-fucking-tabulous award-winning documentary Paris is Burning. (Many of you will recall her on-point gagger during the film's credits, when she nonchalantly tossed off the entire male species with one very cunty quip).

I had heard of her passing over the weekend, yet didn't want to post anything until it was confirmed. This is going to be a very personal post: I worked very closely with Miramax back in the day upon the film's release, and was house manager and booker at one of the only theatres to be given access to some of the film's stars - complete with limo rides, private fund-raisers, and late-nite after-hours parties with some true legends, including the late Dorian Corey and Pepper LaBeija - both of whom I miss. Octavia transformed herself over the years, even appearing later on in the unofficial Paris sequel How Do I Look.

Octavia's passing marks another loss in the list of the film's stars who are no longer with us. There has never been (IMO) a more defining, life-affirming, gay-positive, quotable, fuck-the-haters, gender-and-race stereotype destroying, or important doc than Paris, and thank fucking Christ it finally came out on DVD. (Click here to read an amazing review of the film.)

I privately told RuPaul the sad news other day, as he and I kee-kee over the flick constantly. The Supermodel of the World said: "Oh, shoot. Well she had a fabulous run. And she'll [always live on and] be remembered by you and me." Well, Keeneye here is going to make sure y'all remember her, too. (A big shout out to the New York Times for their coverage.) As Dorian so eloquently put it at the end of Paris - "If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high? Hooray for you." Well, Miss Octavia shot her arrow, alright - straight to the hearts, minds, and souls of all future legends. Honey, you're now as free as the wind on that beach, and your voice will always still be there.