Whenever I would see this former celebrity on television acting holier than thou and quoting scripture, I would just shake my head and remember the two nights I witnessed his holiness firsthand at a con. Back then, they weren't really called cons. We just called them conventions. What this one was basically a gathering of some people who were from different fields of entertainment and celebrity who gave talks. The subject of our blind was there as more of a crossover. He was a celebrity, but he was also there talking about being a success and even giving some demonstrations.
I knew the name and even knew some of his work, but had never seen him or met him in person. At this convention there were a bunch of very attractive, college aged women who were getting paid as greeters and other gofer type things. I remember he had just given a talk about going to church and his beliefs and love of marriage. He walked off the stage behind a curtain and there were two of these gofers waiting for him because they wanted to take a photo with him. While a third person took the photo, he stood in between the two women and had a hand on each of their butts. He squeezed hard and said he was a big fan of theirs. Then they said something like he was their inspiration for going to this bible based university and he said they should meet up that night and he would show them some inspiration as he hugged and groped them. Honestly I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
So, later that night there was a party for the 40 or so invited celebrities. It was in this hotel ballroom. Part of a ballroom. The number of people was about 150 total so the hotel was only using one section of the ballroom.
Sure enough, the guy walks in with those two students from earlier. No one even bats an eye that this self proclaimed very religious, happily married man came in with these two women who apparently he had taken back to his room earlier and had sex with is with them now. He proceeds to paw them throughout dinner and is openly doing lines of coke at the table. It was crazy. He took them into the next ballroom which was closed off from the part where the dinner was and apparently had sex with them because when he came back he said something to the effect of the coke was messing with his Viagra and he had trouble sealing the deal. He started drinking and getting louder. He got angry at the two women for something and told them to leave. A short time later he staggered out of the ballroom.
The next morning, bright and early, there was our subject up on a dais with several other people telling the audience about hard work and values and blah blah blah. Meanwhile he is wiping his nose like crazy every five seconds. That afternoon I saw him out by the pool. He was actually in the hot tub and he was making out with some woman older than the college students by about a decade. His hands were inside her top and he was drinking straight from a bottle of vodka. I wondered to myself if he was like this at home or just was super staid at home and only let loose when he was away from home. Then, I also realized he was probably gone from home over half the days each year doing his thing and that if he partied like this every night he was away from home, he was going to die an early death.
Jerry Falwell or Jimmy Swaggert if the mf'er is dead. Pat Robertson if this con artist isn't.
ReplyDeleteJoel Osteen would be the BIG prize!
ReplyDeleteFormer celebrity on TV? Kirk Cameron or Willie Aames?
ReplyDeleteI like all of the above, but I wonder about the convention aspect -- giving demonstration? I could be a religious convention but I can't really see Enty at one of those.
ReplyDeleteReally depends on the time frame. "Honestly I couldn’t believe what I was seeing." sounds like Enty was 12.
ReplyDeleteRobert Tilton (?), "televangelist of the prosperity gospel widely known for his infomercial-styled religious television "
Sounds like Thomas Kincade.
ReplyDeleteI think the use of the word "con" for convention is stupid, like using "app" for appetizer.
ReplyDeleteCon is short for confidence man or convict, app is short for application. The words already have definitions. Stop doing this, it's really, really, stupid.
@Andrew - it might have been one of those "make money by being an extra special person!" motivational seminars that were so big in the 80s & 90s.
ReplyDeleteKirk Cameron or Stephen Baldwin
ReplyDeleteThomas Kincade the painting connection gives it a way. @ Catherine has it
ReplyDeleteThomas Kinkade.....Bob Ross He Ain’t.
ReplyDelete@Catherine - I overlooked the "Bob Ross" thing. You got it.
ReplyDeleteWhy are comments dis appearing? @Cathrine had Thomas Kinkade and I agreed, but both comments disappeared. Kinkade was a con artist, he took advantage of the types of people who bought his tacky paintings. He also owed a ton of money at the time of his death.
ReplyDeleteGeorge W. Bush
ReplyDeleteIn that he's painting these days, and just released a book of portraits.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Thomas Kincade--died an early death, full of shit, and the profession-connection to Bob Ross makes sense.
ReplyDeleteCatherine got it. Read his Wikipedia page--the part about his controversial behavior--that seals the deal. Well done!
ReplyDeleteIt isn't Kirk Cameron or George Bush, neither of these people went to bible college
ReplyDelete@Catherine Of course -- why didn't I think of that?
ReplyDeleteenty is blocking certain posters & editing comments. Much like you'd expect a barely out of high school reality show loving fan gurrrl to do.
ReplyDeletewow my post made it thru..... self destruct in 7 seconds......
ReplyDelete(kidding really I am. I do miss the original enty very much. )
@Catherine That was my first thought too.
ReplyDelete+1000- nice one @Catherine!
ReplyDeleteIn the English paper the Guardian:
ReplyDeleteFollowing his separation from his wife and spiralling alcoholism, Kinkade's behaviour became erratic: he allegedly caused a scene at a Siegfried & Roy show in Las Vegas by repeatedly shouting "Codpiece!" at the ageing illusionists. He also engaged in what he termed "ritual territory marking" at a California Disneyland hotel, urinating on a Winnie the Pooh figure.
Thomas Coke-ade's life would make a great expose drama. Somebody please get going on the screenplay. Imagine a film of his ugly hypocritical life with set design and art direction based on his paintings.
ReplyDelete