It was 25 years ago that actor Jon-Erik Hexum tragically died on the set of "Cover Up," while playing around with a .44 Magnum prop gun and shooting himself in the head. At the risk of facing public scorn (will I become the gay Mackenzie Phillips?), I have to confess that in the dark closet I was living in at the time (high school student in Mesa, Arizona) I can actually remember thinking to myself, What a shame such a beautiful man has died. If only I could have a few minutes alone with him before they bury him. (Gulp.) While the other kids had been growing up and dating one another, I had spent the last few years overcome with shame-coated lust and desire with no outlet in sight, and Jon-Erik Hexum was one of my main targets. It still makes me sad (and a bit angry) to think that this sick idea seemed like the only way I could ever "be" with another guy yet still be sure to keep my disgusting secret. Although I never did anything remotely close to this, the often-reprehensible actions of people in the closet are forever not lost on me. My pal Frank Anthony Polito has a sweet piece remembering the man who starred in a million teenage boys' wet dreams on AfterElton over HERE. Friday, October 16, 2009
I Was a Teenage Necrophiliac Wannabe
It was 25 years ago that actor Jon-Erik Hexum tragically died on the set of "Cover Up," while playing around with a .44 Magnum prop gun and shooting himself in the head. At the risk of facing public scorn (will I become the gay Mackenzie Phillips?), I have to confess that in the dark closet I was living in at the time (high school student in Mesa, Arizona) I can actually remember thinking to myself, What a shame such a beautiful man has died. If only I could have a few minutes alone with him before they bury him. (Gulp.) While the other kids had been growing up and dating one another, I had spent the last few years overcome with shame-coated lust and desire with no outlet in sight, and Jon-Erik Hexum was one of my main targets. It still makes me sad (and a bit angry) to think that this sick idea seemed like the only way I could ever "be" with another guy yet still be sure to keep my disgusting secret. Although I never did anything remotely close to this, the often-reprehensible actions of people in the closet are forever not lost on me. My pal Frank Anthony Polito has a sweet piece remembering the man who starred in a million teenage boys' wet dreams on AfterElton over HERE.
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I, too, was madly in love with Jon-Erik Hexum and was devestated when he died. To this day, all I can think about is what a tragic loss.
He was truly beautiful. I too was affected by his death and had many improper thoughts about him. Opps, I just had another.
Ok, where was I when this hunk was around????? How could I have missed him??!! Bo
Kenneth, I don't think this is as rare as you think. At least you have a little company. I remember having bad thoughts myself about that diver/swimmer (I don't remember his name) that died right by the pool. In the 80s, maybe early 90s. Dang, I wish I could remember his name. But he was laying there, and they were working on him, and my thoughts went a lot closer to your Hexum thoughts than they should have.
I had the SAME thought when I heard he was dead!!! I had a muscle mag that he did a photoshoot for which had him running around in swimwear, and boy that magazine got me through some lonely times. I had heard rumors that he was gay, but no concrete evidence of it.
Whenever i hear the Bonnie Tyler song "holding out for a Hero" i think of Jon-Erik Hexum, as that was the tv show's theme song...loved that show
I seriously had the hots for Jon-Erik Hexum. Not only was he beyond beautiful, he had a voice that turned my knees to jelly.
I'll be forever grateful for the (really awful) movie "The Making of a Male Model" because it cast Mr. Hexum as the lead AND put him in skin-tight leather pants.
He was indeed a beautiful man.
At the time of his death, I was out of college and living on my own for the first time in New Brunswick, NJ. A record store (remember them?) near the Rutgers University campus had a gorgeous poster of a shirtless Jon-Erik Hexum in their display window. The day he died they sold out in minutes! I remember going to the local gay bar, The Den, that evening and everyone was mourning his death.
Incidentally, Jon-Erik's brother was a TV weather man in New Orleans for years. Not sure if he is still on the air, but there is a rather touching interview with him (remembering his brother) out there somewhere on the web.
Shah!! Are we mind-twins? I thought the same thing when he died.
I loved watching COVER UP because of him (and later Anthony Hamilton R.I.P.) especially when he called Jennifer O'Neal, Dani. I would pretend he was talking to me.
C'mon! I was young!
You were not the only one my friend. His blue eyes and hunky physique was a welcome distraction for me too.
I thought surely I must have been the only gay male in America with thoughts similar to yours when Jon-Erik died. Looks like I am in pretty good company. I know it sounds crazy for a 53 year old man to still be attracted to him on many levels, but he and I would be about the same age now if he had lived. In 1984 I was a 28 year old experienced gay man who fell in love with him at first sight. There will NEVER be another man born on this planet who will ever be as beautiful as he was. And yes--that voice just made him perfect. No one should ever be ashamed for any feelings they still hold for that god!
I was 14 at the time and not quite to the heights of my powers as a jerk off artist, but certainly putting in the hours practicing. Jon Erik Hexum was certainly the star of a great many of those fantasies. He was absolutely gorgeous, and seemed like a cool guy. I was jerking off to the things I would do with him before I even knew what it was that gay men did with each other.
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