I was talking to my mom on the telephone. Just the usual shit moms and sons talk about. For some reason Bruno Gerussi's name came up. "Did you know Reggie was taught drama by Bruno?" my mom asked. My jaw dropped. Reggie has been part of the Hockey family for decades now and not once did anybody mention Reggie's Gerussi connection.
"Don't be shocked Beer. Just because Reggie took drama doesn't mean he was a fag back then. Lots of straight boys take drama in school."
She did not sound convinced of her own argument. Reggie was a god damn candy ass! I had wanted to take drama when I was in school too but dad would not allow it. "No son of mine is going to be taught by a god damn queer!" were the words that prevented me from becoming a serious actor. "It's bad enough my boy isn't taking shop classes for fuck's sake!"
"Bruno was doing a little acting back then but he wasn't getting anywhere," my mom continued. "None of his students thought it was fair that Bruno wasn't a big Canadian actor like Lorne Green. Reggie suggested Bruno needed a gimmick that would set him apart from the rest of the small time Canadian acting crowd, something flashy. The day Bruno hung a medallion around his neck was the day he became a star."
I used to see Bruno quite often back when I lived in my punk rock Fort Royal apartment. His mom lived nearby. He must have visited her every weekend. Bruno fucking rocked.
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