HUNGRY GERALD

Rex Reed, a talented, debonair and proudly gay man, died last week–age 88. During the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, he was a prominent figure in popular culture as a drama and tv critic, music critic, essayist and columnist. He was a ubiquitous guest on the talk shows of the time. He wrote eight books. His prose was excellent but he could be very acerbic and destructive (his savage column on Frank Sinatra was shattering). Rex was friendly with the vocal jazz duo Jackie Cain and Roy Kral  (“Jackie and Roy”) The duo were close friends of HG/BSK in Montclair, NJ., where both families lived and Fire Island where they summered. Rex visited Jackie and Roy in Montclair and the trio came to HG/ BSK’s home and listened to Tony Bennett on HG/BSK’s superior stereo. Rex expounded (very perceptively)on Tony’s immaculate phrasing. The next time HG/BSK saw Rex was on a blistering hot August day on Fire Island when he was visiting Jackie and Roy. Rex  said he would cook dinner. He produced a huge beef roast in a gallon of rich brown gravy plus a mountain of buttery mashed potatoes. An incongruous meal for a hot summer night. Surprise!! It was delicious. We soaked up the gravy with slices of Wonder Bread. We ate all of  the impossible meal and drank bottles of chilled Beaujolais Nouveau. Go figure.