Rupert Smith - ProfilesArchive

About Me

I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
See my official website here
I'm a writer of books (fiction and non-fiction), journalism and screenplays. My work has appeared in loads of publications including the Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Gay Times, Radio Times, LA Times and even THE Times.
The fiction divides into two camps: "Rupert Smith" writes contemporary comic novels about showbiz, gay urban life and so on, titles include I MUST CONFESS, FLY ON THE WALL and SERVICE WASH.
Then there's the disreputable "James Lear" who writes what we shall call "adult fiction", which sells in large quantities all over the free world. Titles include THE BACK PASSAGE, THE PALACE OF VARIETIES, HOT VALLEY and the forthcoming THE SECRET TUNNEL. You can get to know Mr Lear in my Top Friends, below.
I've written or co-written books about punk legend Jayne County, physique photographer John S Barrington, Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders. Yes, I have range.
I live in central London with Marcus, my beloved partner of many years, and our two cats, Nell and Bess.

My Interests

Debauchery, remorse, pointless feuds, self-delusion, but above all the Shannon Matthews case.

I'd like to meet:

I also put on events exploring and celebrating gay history, both as part of the House of Homosexual Culture (see top friends, below) and on my own. In July, I'm programming a series of events at the London Literature Festival at the South Bank Centre, with Paul Burston. Watch this space for details.
Calendar of events:

30 May: House of Homosexual Culture inducts BETTE BOURNE into the Hall of Fame, Oval House Theatre. I'll be producing and presenting.

Music:

Punk, disco, electro, Jayne County, Klaus Nomi, Amanda Lear, Yma Sumac, B-52s, Kraftwerk, Diamanda Galas, Donna Summer, Supremes, Shangrilas, Ronettes, Crystals, Smiths, Morrissey, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nina Simone, Sophie Tucker, Hermine, Nico, Kinks, Kate Bush, Rufus Wainwright, French chanson, Dalida, Barbara, Leo Ferre, Juliette Greco, Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Mistinguett, Charles Aznavour, Grace Jones, Kitchens of Distinction, The Heroine Twins, Hot Chip, four-on-the-floor remixes of just about anything

Movies:

Now Voyager, The Wizard of Oz, Cabaret, Female Trouble, Hairspray, Serial Mom, Valley of the Dolls, Jubilee, Sebastiane, City of Lost Souls, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Andy Warhol's Trash, George Kuchar, Mommie Dearest, Volver, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Showgirls, Carmen Jones, Poltergeist, City of Lost Children, Bright Young Things

Television:

Rock Follies, Rock Follies of 77, Footballers' Wives, I Love Lucy, Tom and Jerry, Revelations, EastEnders, Eldorado, French and Saunders, Acorn Antiques, Kath and Kim, Absolutely Fabulous, Green Wing, The Book Group, Celebrity Big Brother, Doctor Who, Bleak House

Books:

Myra Breckinridge, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Valley of the Dolls, Vile Bodies, Scoop, Decline and Fall, Queen Lucia, and all Lucia novels by EF Benson, Augustus Carp, Earthly Powers, Little Me, Diary of a Nobody, Confederacy of Dunces, City of Night, Confessions of a Justified Sinner

Heroes:

Quentin Crisp, Klaus Nomi, David Bowie (you never grow out of some things), Vera Hruba Ralston, Jayne County
Lindsay Kemp, John Waters, Peter Wildeblood, David Hoyle

My Blog

Feature by/about me in LA Times

That piece I wrote in the Independent a few weeks ago sure has travelled. I've had feedback from as far away as Australia. I'm going to be profiled in Forum magazine - which I'm pleased about, because...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:58:00 PST

John Rechy

I recently interview one of my all-time heroes, the American writer John Rechy, author of CITY OF NIGHT, NUMBERS, THE SEXUAL OUTLAW etc. The full results will be appearing in the Independent on Sunday...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:51:00 PST

Feature by/about me in Independent on Sunday

At last, I’ve come out - as "adult" author James Lear. Big feature by/about me in today’s Independent on Sunday here . I’m pleased to say it’s in their "Interiors Issue".With ...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:16:00 PST

Between the Covers

A huge thanks to all who came, contributed and participated in last night's event for LGBT History Month, BETWEEN THE COVERS. We filled Freedom with a lively, engaged crowd who all wanted to talk abou...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:45:00 PST

The Smiths

I had a very enjoyable night on Saturday, reading with Ali Smith at Stanza, the regular literary night at Studio La Danza in Holloway Road. Ali, of course, is crowned with glory and enjoys massive sal...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:09:00 PST

Reading on 26 January

I shall emerge, blinking, into the glare of the spotlight once more on Saturday 26 January for a reading at Stanza, a words-and-music club at Studio La Danza, 89 Holloway Road N7 (nearest tube Highbur...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:22:00 PST

Viva la Diva!

My final show of 2007 went off with a bang last night. VIVA LA DIVA was a celebration of our favourite female stars - Dusty, Shirley, Madonna, Dalida et al - but the real stars were in the Drill Hall ...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:10:00 PST

Front-page news

I've never had my picture on the front of a newspaper before, especially not next to such a great headline.This is from the House of Homo Christmas Fayre last weekend, with Sarah Waters. The last time...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:46:00 PST

Tired but smug

I'm finally coming to the end of an incredibly busy period of production, presentation, promotion and performing. It started back in September with a handful of events with Holly Woodlawn, culminating...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:22:00 PST

Fairy cross the Mersey

Back last night from an action-packed few days in Liverpool for Homotopia festival. I've worked at a lot of festivals in my time and this was one of the best, certainly the best-organised, that I've e...
Posted by Rupert Smith on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:33:00 PST