CRISPERANTO.org: Larry Mass

Larry Mass
author and editor

I’ve known Quentin Crisp ever since the early 1980s, primarily via Tom Steele and Christopher Street magazine. For some years, Quentin wrote this wonderful movies column, pieces which were eventually collected as Resident Alien. He attended most of the films with Tom and the reviews were filled with vintage social observation and commentary for which Quentin became legendary.

My very high regard for Quentin goes way back to my first viewing of The Naked Civil Servant, a gay activist landmark and classic. He was a great hero from that day on, and my admiration and respect only grew as I got to know him up close. For gay people, for people everywhere, Quentin Crisp was a supreme example of surviving and thriving by one’s wits. He has now completed his journey: from living legend to immortal.