Scotty Bowers, the original starfucker

He's 88 and has no further public events scheduled, so I was climbing the walls when I heard Scotty Bowers—the cheerful Hollywood hustler who just wrote the tell-all Full Service—was doing a Book Soup appearance last night the entire length of the country away from me. I'm thrilled that my pal Scott covered for me, shooting the (somewhat awkward) Q&A and taking the above photo.

Things got off to a slow start, with Bowers's co-author, Lionel Friedberg, trying to goad him into giving the crowd some general information about his life, which resulted in a few short, unsexy sentences.

But wait till you hear the grandson of Walter Pidgeon—who Bowers says used to suck him off while masturbating—identify himself and goodnaturedly say his image of his gramps is "destroyed!" A shame Bowers didn't have more to say in response; quite a funny moment.

Also during the Q&A, one guy piped up to announce he'd enjoyed a six-month "run" with Rock Hudson in '58 and to say the book rang absolutely true despite some errors, particuarly chronological ones.

Part 1 of 4: Introduction, sex addiction, pimping, Rock Hudson

Part 2 of 4: Walter Pidgeon's grandson, Spencer Tracy's bisexuality

Part 3 of 4: His magnetism, James Dean & Marlon Brando 

Part 4 of 4: Madonna/Duke & Duchess of Windsor, Phyllis Gates, porn, Hepburn & Tracy

Noted writer and historian and Boy Culture commenter David Ehrenstein reassured Bowers—who resembles Russell Johnson from Gilligan's Island—that he is extensively referenced in the papers of George Cukor, instances that back up the octogenarian's otherwise credibility-stretching stories.

I probably would have asked if he left out a few stars who are still (barely) alive or at least which famous people were most into rimming. C'mon, it's the right project!

To his credit (and to the book's discredit), Bowers owned up to getting money from "big users," collecting tips from people who used his pimping services to the tune of several people a week. The book flatly states he never got money for arranging sex, only for having it. I remain largely convinced by most of Bowers's assertions, partly because of the reassurances of experts more learned than myself. It's a treat to see and hear him attempt to spell out his unique history; I only wish I'd been there.