Posted on 08/19/2013 12:50:29 PM PDT by xzins
Sean Sasser from MTVs The Real World: San Francisco has died at the age of 44, his longtime partner said. Sasser, who had been HIV positive for 25 years, died Wednesday from mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer.
The reality star died in the Washington home he shared with Michael Kaplan. While he was not one of the original cast members on The Real World, he became a household name as his relationship with Pedro Zamora was explored during the shows third season in 1994. The couples exchange of vows during a commitment ceremony, the first ever broadcast on U.S. television, became a landmark moment in TV history.
The couple began dating during the taping of the series. Their relationship and Zamoras battle with AIDS while living in The Real World house with seven strangers became must-see-TV for teens and young adults, many of whom had never been exposed to a gay couple, much less someone living with HIV.
Zamora, who had been diagnosed with AIDS at age 17, was a well-known AIDS activist at the time he was cast on the show at age 21. Sasser, who was also working as an activist and educator, also revealed on the show that he was HIV positive.
During the taping of the series, Zamoras health took a turn.
This wasnt a romantic death. It wasnt a heroic death. It was horrible, and Sean couldnt do anything except watch it happen, fellow co-star Judd Winick told the online magazine POZ in 1997. Winick chronicled his friendship with Zamora and Sasser in the graphic novel Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned.
Zamora died on Nov. 11, 1994, with Sasser at his side just hours after the airing of the final episode of the season, which featured the two men exchanging their vows, according to MTV.
Sasser continued his work as an AIDS activist and educator.
Sasser recently moved from Portland, Oregon, to Washington when Kaplan took a job with AIDS United, a non-profit group. The couple had dated off and on for years since the 1990s, but moved in together about six years ago, Kaplan said.
His illness evolved quickly, with the July diagnosis of stage 4 mesothelioma following a June blood test showing an abnormality, Kaplan said.
The Real World house with seven strangers became must-see-TV for teens and young adults”
How could you have missed it?
celebrating the death of another nobody
He’s apparently a queer nobody
Or some baseball player named Mackey.
"Next time, ask! Nobody eats Bob Dole's peanut butter without asking!"
qurobody?
Everyone rushed to get an HIV test. But of course, since they had all failed high school biology and chemistry they had no idea that it was an ANTIBODY test (which is absolutely meaningless) rather than an ANTIGEN test. You get the idea.
So now the homos live 25 years!!! Ah, the wonders of science. And we all paid for this absolute nonsense!!
Doc Savage
And now he's a dead queer nobody.
No doubt an alum of Troop 210,San Francisco.
Live dumb, die young.
Or as Darwin may say: nonsurvival of the unfittest.
‘the first ever broadcast on U.S. television, became a landmark moment in TV history. ‘
Hmmm...Landmarks are not what they used to be.
remember kids, the lesson here is: smoking kills
Uh, no, he didn't become a "household name". This so-called journalist is a liar.
Uh, no, he didn't become a "household name". This so-called journalist is a liar.
Uh, no, he didn't become a "household name". This so-called journalist is a liar.
My dad used to say “There’s always 10% that don’t get the word”.
The point is that he died 3 decades early of AIDS, another homosexual dying decades earlier than the general population. I added that to the title to explain the point of posting this, but it was removed for whatever reason as of this post. I’ve asked why. Who knows? Maybe it will be restored.
The point is that he died 3 decades early of AIDS, another homosexual dying decades earlier than the general population. I added that to the title to explain the point of posting this, but it was removed for whatever reason as of this post. I’ve asked why. Who knows? Maybe it will be restored.
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