Tammy Faye

mikeschmike · #1 05-21-2007, 12:54 PM

Quote:

http://www.planetout.com/entertainme...entertainment/

Tammy Faye Bakker Messner has thousands and thousands of gay fans, and so many of them have sent her their best wishes after learning last week of her sad health news.
Tammy Faye's longtime manager, Joe Spotts, is tickled and touched by them all -- particularly by a fellow Palm Springs resident's proposal to rename a street there "Tammy Faye Way." Spotts plans to bring the messages to her soon in Charlotte, N.C., where she lives with her family.

The televangelist and gay icon passed a bad weekend, Spotts said Monday afternoon.

"She was going to do a phone interview with Larry King tonight, but is not up to it," he told PlanetOut. "When she can't even talk on the telephone to Larry King, she's in bad shape.

"But who knows what this means. She's been bad before, and then three days later will be out shopping."

He shared with PlanetOut why Tammy Faye is special to him, as to so many others:

"In the early days of AIDS, before it was even called AIDS, everybody in the gay community loved Tammy Faye. We all saw the innate sweetness and love.
Then she absolutely astonished us in one moment. I happened to be watching that day."

To say that gays had yet to come to grips with the epidemic would be an understatement.

"My bridge partner, Francis, had a son who lived with his partner in New York and San Francisco, and Frank (the son) was the first person I had known who died of AIDS. I would make excuses not to go to Francis' house, simply because Frank had been there. That's how scared I was, how scared everybody was.

But I was watching ("PTL") that day, and there's Tammy Faye with this thin, tall man. And she says, 'This is George. George has AIDS. And God loves George, and George loves God, and we love George.'

"And she threw her arms around him in a big hug, and she kissed him and kissed him and kissed him again.

"I cannot overestimate the overwhelming effect this had."
Two things about Tammy: "She never made a move for effect. Never put a spin on anything. She is what she is." Another thing: "She's brilliant. She's Mensa. If you meet her you know."

Love this woman! I hope she does not have to suffer through this horrible cancer much longer.

If only the other religious figures on TV were like her. You think Falwell would have acted that way towards an AIDS patient? Doubt it.

carrie721 · #2 05-21-2007, 12:56 PM

that made me all verklempt. god bless tammy faye.

BTFLCHLD · #3 05-21-2007, 01:04 PM

Last season, One Punk Under God gave some insight into her health situation. Really sad to see her health failing; really touching how Jay is there for her. I recommend this Sundance show.

JazmenFlowers · #4 05-21-2007, 01:09 PM

we should all wish to be more like Tammy Faye. the woman is astoundingly human, in every honest, good and fabulous sense of the word.

bless her.

GypsySorcerer · #5 05-21-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

we should all wish to be more like Tammy Faye. the woman is astoundingly human, in every honest, good and fabulous sense of the word.

bless her.

I second that. I wish her peace during this time.

GODDESS6 · #6 05-21-2007, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsySorcerer

I second that. I wish her peace during this time.

me too, i have always loved her~

BombaySapphire3 · #7 05-21-2007, 08:38 PM

Bless Tammy Faye for demonstrating what Christianity is supposed to be.When she does move on to the other side I don't think she 'll be seeing Falwell where she is.

stevierocks87 · #8 05-22-2007, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

Last season, One Punk Under God gave some insight into her health situation. Really sad to see her health failing; really touching how Jay is there for her. I recommend this Sundance show.

Yeah, I talked about her a little in the Falwell thread. Very, very sweet lady. And I LOVE, LOVE Jay. He goes around plastering "We are sorry for being self-righteous judgemental assholes" stickers everywhere

I really hope Tammy isn't suffering too much. God bless her.

sparky · #9 05-22-2007, 01:11 AM

TF is a cream puff.

Sad to hear she is ailing. I have only the best thoughts for her.

mikeschmike · #10 05-31-2007, 01:08 PM

An update on the ol' girl from people.com.

Quote:

Tammy Faye 'In Pain Almost 100 Percent of Time'
THURSDAY MAY 31, 2007 11:20 AM EDT

By Stephen M. Silverman

Less than a month since Tammy Faye Messner announced that her "doctors have stopped trying to treat the cancer" that has spread through her system, she says, "I have really wonderful days, and I have really bad days."

In an interview with TV's Entertainment Tonight from her North Carolina home, Messner, 65, says, "I would say I'm in pain almost 100 percent of the time. My back hurts, so I had to go to a wheelchair. And I have a very bad tummy all the time."

Messner, who is receiving hospice care as well as being looked after by her daughter, Tammy Sue, (whose father is Rev. Jim Bakker), also tells of being informed by her doctors that there was no further medical treatment that would help her.

"When they said there's nothing more we can do, for just about a minute I felt sorry for myself, had my little pity party," she says. "Then I said, 'I've got somebody bigger than the doctors, I know the Lord, Jesus Christ, and he can do something for it.' He's the only one that can, and so I just trust Him every day."

First diagnosed with colon cancer in 1996, Messner announced in 2004 that the disease had spread to her lungs. When she was forced to undergo additional rounds of chemotherapy in 2005, Messner told PEOPLE she was using humor to cope. "During radiation, I did not lose my hair, but I lost my eyelashes. Which is the funniest thing in the world to me, because it's my trademark," she said.

She has yet to give up hope. On her Web site, according to ET, Messner writes: "Today I want you to remember: You can't go forward, looking in the rear view mirror, yesterday is gone, you cannot put a broken egg back together again so don't spend your energy trying.

"Today is all we have so live it fully," she continues. "Tomorrow may not come, we are not promised tomorrow. Princess Di thought she had many tomorrows, John Kennedy Jr. thought he had many tomorrows, Marilyn Monroe thought she had many tomorrows, Sonny Bono thought he had many tomorrows, Selena thought she had many tomorrows. So we must make today count, make today the best day of your life."

JazmenFlowers · #11 05-31-2007, 01:40 PM

damn. she sure has fought this a long time. I wish her peace.

sara1998 · #12 05-31-2007, 01:47 PM

I have friends who grew up next door to the Bakkers, grew up with Jay. I have been told that Tammy Faye was just as nice and sweet in person as she was on television and in public. I sure hope she doesn't suffer badly. Cancer is a bitch. I've seen too many people die from it in my life, and I don't wish it on anyone.

GypsySorcerer · #13 05-31-2007, 02:41 PM

I clicked in here expecting to read that she had passed.

I keep hoping for a miracle, but I don't want her to suffer. Bless you, Tammy Faye.