Hollywood Star's Secret Lesbian Affair Revealed in Memoir

By

 

Our next guest on The Noshing with Nina Show will be Alexis Hunter, author of Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For. Hunter was the partner of Hollywood sensation Joi Lansing, who was called the Marilyn Monroe of television. The lovers met on the set of the 1970 film Bigfoot, in which Lansing starred. Hunter had been hired to play one of the "Bigfoot monsters," while wearing a hairy outfit that covered her entire body. She was already a fan of Lansing's after having seen her on television in her hometown of Arkansas City, Kansas before she moved to Hollywood to pursue her own acting career. When Lansing invited her out for coffee, a full-blown romance soon followed.


Rachel and Joi Lansing
Lansing was married at the time to her third husband, but their relationship had been platonic for several years. Lansing had dated Frank Sinatra and other male celebrities while she was still legally married, while her husband Stan had become more of a father figure, according to Hunter. To avoid suspicion, Lansing suggested that she start introducing Alexis as her little sister, which meant that she would change her name to Rachel Lansing. In the book, she tells tales of hearing and meeting stars like Elvis Presley and James Brown in Las Vegas, where Lansing had been engaged to star in the play Come Blow Your Horn. They lived together in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, in the same house with "hubby" Stan.

Lansing had been receiving estrogen and silicone injections for many years to enhance her buxom figure. Doctors dismissed her abdominal pain repeatedly, and were more interested in trying to date her, according to Hunter. Eventually a cancerous tumor was removed from her ovary, but the cancer already had spread throughout her body. Joi passed away in Rachel's arms at 43 years old.

Hunter tells a delightful story of their deep, abiding love, in an age when Hollywood executives assumed they could have their way with aspiring actresses. Lansing's marriage kept some of the men at bay, and her husband's health insurance made it possible for her medical bills to be paid.

Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For is a story of true love and devotion. Be on the lookout for my interview with author Alexis Hunter on an upcoming Noshing with Nina Show.

Purchase Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For here.

Enjoy this clip of Lansing's appearance on The Beverly Hillbillies:



Photo courtesy of Kerry and Paul Loveland

Nina Kennedy is a concert pianist, orchestral conductor, and award-winning filmmaker. She holds a master’s degree from the Juilliard School. Her memoir, Practicing for Love, is a 2021 Lambda Literary Award Finalist. The sequel, Practice What You Preach, is available at infemnity.com/shop.


Nina Kennedy is a concert pianist, orchestral conductor, and award-winning filmmaker. She holds a master’s degree from the Juilliard School. Her memoir, "Practicing for Love," is a 2021 Lambda Literary Award Finalist.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nina Kennedy's "Practicing for Love: A Memoir" is Nominated for 2021 Lambda Literary Award

By
Image
  On March 15th, the Associated Press announced the finalists for the 2021 Lambda Literary Awards. Practicing for Love: A Memoir by Nina Kennedy is nominated in the Lesbian Memoir/Biography category. Kennedy is the only African-American author nominated in this category. Lambda Literary has championed LGBTQ books and authors f or over 30 years. To quote their website : " We believe that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer literature is fundamental to the preservation of our culture, and that LGBTQ lives are affirmed when our stories are written, published, and read." The announcement of the finalists as reported by the Associated Press  has appeared in Publishers Weekly , Kirkus Book Reviews , NYU Press, among other publications. Meshell Ndegeocello Finalists and winners will be celebrated in a virtual award ceremony on Tuesday, June 1st, 2021, which will feature a performance by  Meshell Ndegeocello , along with other guests. Nina Kennedy is a world-renowned ...
Read more

Remembrances of the Clit Club

By
Image
The first time I tried to enter the Clit Club, I didn't even make it inside. A beautiful young lady picked me up right there at the entrance, and took me back to her apartment. A few weeks later when I actually made it all the way inside, I saw that the atmosphere was highly sexualized. Topless dancers shook their stuff on the stage, on top of the bar, and on various elevated platforms. When I ventured downstairs, women were dancing, grinding, making out and making love in dark corners. Hostesses Julie Tolentino (made famous by the photo montage with her partner Alistair and Madonna in the book Sex ) and Jocelyn Taylor (aka Jaguar Mary) gave birth to the infamous party in the Meatpacking District, where celebrities including Debbie Harry and Madonna were often spotted. Photographer Lola Flash was behind the bar, and often displayed slides of her photographs on the walls. There was usually a line of people waiting to get in, and the dancefloor was normally so packed that we could ha...
Read more

25th Annual Women’s Event at Ziegfeld Ballroom

By
Image
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center honored New York City Leaders and Allies at 25th Annual Women’s Event on Saturday November 5th. Nearly 400 attendees were present for an evening of cocktails, dinner, speeches, and an after party benefiting The Center. Honorees included activist, nonprofit executive, and politician Elisa Crespo; President of Christopher Street Financial Jen Hatch; and Georgie Greville Jasper, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Milk Makeup. The sold-out event included a performance by actress and singer Jenn Colella. Elisa Crespo received the Community Impact Award, and Jen Hatch received the Trailblazer Award. Georgie Greville Jasper accepted the Corporate Impact Award on behalf of Milk Makeup. Karine Jean-Pierre White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre presented a previously recorded congratulatory message to the audience. Watch her speech  here .  Glennda Testone, Executive Director of The Center, also addressed the audienc...
Read more