Seattle Gay History - Light shows 1967: Part Two

Seattle Gay History - Light shows 1967: Part Two

by Don Paulson - SGN Contributing Writer In episode one I introduced Seattle's Gay and straight primary light show group, Lux Sit (let there be light). The Union Light Co. was our main competition along with a dozen or so small light show groups. Union Light was the first light show on the scene but resented my group, Lux Sit, and considered us "opportunists." The head of Union Light deeply resented us and for forty years would not acknowledge me when our paths crossed and would not even make eye contact with me, like I wasn't there. We stole her glory but such is the drill in our race to the canopy; not everyone reaches the light. Our main focus was the hip scene but half of our shows were for the establishment. They liked us because we were colorful and professional and they got to "bask in our presence" when it was chic to be a liberal in the new age of Aquarius. Lux Sit members were weekend hippies. We were actually the establishment as we had professions that would qualify us as such, but we saw an art opportunity and acted on it. We maintained our liberal views and our place in the counterculture, and had a lot of fun in the limelight. Boyd Grafmire was head of publicity for rock promoters Trips Lansing, who were promoting The Trips Festival at Seattle's rock palace, the Eagles Auditorium. I suggested we have a happening in Westlake Mall to promote it. A few days later Boyd said KOMO TV will be at the mall at 1:00 to film the happening for the 6:00 news, so get it together. I was stunned - I saw a couple happenings in New York but I had no idea what to do. I was in big trouble. I called my boyfriend David and we came up with the idea of a human cocoon where he would sit in a chair and we'd wrap him in layers and layers of junk secured with rolls of toilet paper and Saran Wrap. I gathered up all kinds of junk, called Lux Sit members to do the same and we'd meet at the mall. Boyd said he'd participate in his own way. Tracy brought a large bag of vegetables, Scott brought old flags and others brought you-name-it. Then we began to wrap David while a crowd gathered, and KOMO began to film. Boyd in an asbestos suit worked the crowd acclaiming the wonders of this "Psychedelic and Cultural Exposition." As imprisoned David got bigger and more ludicrous wrapped in 20th century junk and toilet paper, he took on an obese five-foot cone shape while a crowd of 100 looked on in amusement and bewilderment. The message given, it came time to unwrap the royal mummy. It was a holy tangle! The crowd of now 20 closed in - we'd hand them a celery stalk or a banana or a piece of junk and they'd take it, but a strange thing was beginning to happen: David was still wrapped up tight and helpless, when some kid said, to be funny, "Let's poke his eyes out." Another said, "Let's set him on fire." Another said, "We could beat him up if he's a homo." Suddenly it was the film Suddenly Last Summer. Kids being devilish or not, we got the hell out of there, our props of junk for this bizarre street theater left behind and the wind-driven toilet paper hanging ugly on cars and things all the way down the block. Yes, father, we sinned. At a show for an elite Seattle golf club, the theme of the party was to dress as a hippie. It was hysterical and charming to see the establishment in beads, feathers, and brightly colored clothes. It was the alcoholic party of the year, the perfect excuse to get loose; after all, they are hippies! The Sherriff of King County was the life of the party. He wore a Hawaiian shirt, a feather in his headband, and a necklace of a carved wooden fist - with the middle finger giving the finger. One light show member said, "Everyone is so drunk, I'll bet if I light up a joint, no one would notice." I was aghast, but he lit up anyway. The Sheriff came dancing by, but no one detected the horrific crime that just happened under their noses! The manager of the club came to me and asked if I could give him a joint as an experiment to help reduce his alcohol consumption. Later I asked him about any result and he said, "I didn't feel a thing." But he had three martinis before he smoked the joint. At another party for the high school graduating daughter of the 1st National Bank president, we almost had a death. Our usual strobe light was out of commission, so we borrowed another which was poorly built and extremely dangerous, with instructions to connect raw wires to operate it. A member did so, but something happened and both hands stuck to the wires, electrocuting him. He eventually was able to fall backward and break the connection, but his hands were badly burned. Fortunately the head of Swedish hospital was there to give first aid. I could see the headlines in the newspaper; "Gay Hippie Electrocuted at Bank President's Home." Director of the Pacific Science Center Dixie Lee Ray asked me to put on some light show affects in the Ames theater to illustrate her lecture on light for Seattle school kids. I think that we were in showbiz together for two weeks. Dixie was the formidable director of the Pacific Science Center, called "Little Napoleon" by some. But she was sweet to me, doubled my fee to $600 and took me to lunch in her famous Jaguar with a large honking rubber horn mounted on the outside. Had I known about her right wing views, my hair would have stood on end. To many, "Nuclear Dixie was a hard-boiled, angry Ayn Rand, and probably a repressed homosexual." Her unconventionality made her colorful but controversial. But "she's Gay as pink ink" was often the bottom line. Of course I didn't blame her for not coming out in 1967 - that would be suicide - but imagine what this unique, brilliant and gutsy woman could have done if she were more compassionate.