Porn was really cool back in the Eighties. Then when John Holmes died of AIDS in 1988, all of a sudden, it wasn’t as cool any more. The book John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches is an oral history of the most famous and controversial porn star of all time.
Holmes had the mythical monster cock and the party personality to go with it. But when Holmes died, it was the effect of someone turning the lights on the party and calling the cops. And the spirited Free Love movement which began in the Sixties and proceeded pretty much undisturbed over two decades all of a sudden had its rude awakenings, repercussions and finger-pointings.
In the blizzard of quotes and assembly of porn junkie recollections and anecdotes, one comment in this fascinating book by Jennifer Sugar and Jill C. Nelson really leaps off the page. Paul Thomas offers his thoughts upon hearing of Holmes’ death.
“When I found out he had AIDS,” says Thomas, “I was in denial because then I was scared that I had it. I wouldn’t test. It seemed the proper ending for Holmes, or anyone else in this business. It seemed not surprising at all, in fact, it was surprising that we all didn’t have it. That was amazing: not that he had it, but that we all didn’t have it. I’d crossed swords with him many times. He was with a girl and three seconds later, I was with her, so it was surprising that we all didn’t get it. The fact that he got it and died from it was perfect. Tragic, but perfect.”
By the way, Holmes knew he had AIDS and continued to perform.
