In a world where Puck keeps getting arrested yearly for all his crimes against humanity and those closest to him and has done absolutely nothing with his life, comes someone from the same season of MTV's Real World. Although, not one of the cast members of the show, Sean Sasser was the boyfriend of cast member Pedro Zamora in Real World - San Francisco. Puck was in the cast too. Sean died this week of AIDS related complications. Back in the day, media organizations would just say ARC to make everyone feel better and that way AIDS would stay a silent killer and not be said aloud to frighten people. It was also much more common and people just said ARC and you knew what it meant. You don't hear that term any longer. Sean officially died of mesothelioma, which is an extremely rare form of cancer, but not if you have AIDS.
Sean watched as his boyfriend Pedro died before our eyes on MTV and continued the fight and Pedro's legacy long after the cameras turned off. Sean was 44.
Back when MTV had had reality tv substance. I remember that real world season, was sad to hear about Pedro, at least Sean faught a good fight.
ReplyDeleteVery sad. RIP.
ReplyDeleteHe seemed to be a truly lovely person.
ReplyDeleteThinking back on the early '90s, it's kind of amazing how far America has come in terms of gay rights and people living openly. I don't think it's an overstatement to say that Pedro and Sean -- as real people, not characters -- helped break ground for a particular generation. Many miles still to go, but the current successes owe something to those who've put themselves out there on a national level as, "Look, I'm just a person -- like you." when it was much more stigmatized and dangerous.
Speaking for myself, Pedro was my fave cast member. Opened my heart at an impressionable time in my life. Before that show I activly hated 'fags'. I actually cried when he passed. RIP Pedro and Sean.
DeleteI can't believe it will be twenty years next year since Pedro died.
ReplyDeleteSo very sad. R.I.P. Sean.
ReplyDeleteLove and light to his family and friends x0x
ReplyDeleteRIP Sean.
ReplyDeletePedro's willingness to be on the show and open about his sexuality and illness was groundbreaking for the time. Sean standing by his side, was also.
That season of the Real World was the best, mainly because of Pedro and Sean and not for the waste of space that is Puck.
RIP, Sean
ReplyDelete(I agree w others who said San Fran was one of the best seasons of TRW)
Bless his soul
ReplyDeleteBrave man. Sorry he lost the fight.
ReplyDeleteAids f*cking blows. Rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteHe always seemed like a genuinely good person. May he rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for posting. He and Pedro will not be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I read about a celeb who dies, whether it's OD, sickness, accident, health, old age, whatever, I sort of go, 'Gee, that's too bad.'. Pedro was one I wept for. He wasn't 'hollywood', but just a real person. And we watched it unfold.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Sean. You two are together again and that's a beautiful thing.
Sorry about the typos/grammar.....ugh.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, I don't think we have come that far with regards to gay rights.
ReplyDeleteThat Bea Arthur show "Maude" had an episode about a gay bar opening in town. Her character is very liberal; her neighbor (played by Conrad Bain, Mr. Drummond from "Diff'rent Strokes") is very conservative. There's a drive to close the bar down, with Maude opposing. The two decide to visit the bar to prove it's not some den of evil or whatever.
The episode was eye-opening... if weren't for the 70's duds, you'd swear the show was made last week. It's almost 40 years old, but we're still having the same arguments.
Let people be! Let 'em love, let 'em be happy.
People don't usually die from AIDS...they almost always
ReplyDeletedie from pneumonia or organ failure. Hence the ARC descriptions. What WAS more common back then was to say "died after a lengthy illness". Get your facts straight enty #65.
:^(
ReplyDeleteRIP Sean. I loved him and Pedro. I can remember hearing that Pedro had died and how it hit me. Now, 20 years later, I have a lesbian daughter and I'm thankful that she can be openly gay and not face as much backlash as Pedro did.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to Sean's husband Michael and those he left behind.
My uncle died of brain cancer complications of AIDS and it is very, very painful and takes you slowly.
ReplyDeleteFUCK AIDS!!!!!