Article Database
Spec
August 1974
Alice — "I'm Not a Fag!"
Alice Sounds Off!
"So What's The Story, Alice? Are You Gay? Are You Straight? Are You Bisexial? Which?!"
At Last, SPEC Lays It On The Line (As It Were) And Hits Alice With The Big Question!
A Very Intimate, Very Sensational, VERY Incredible Interview With Alice Cooper!
People say all kinds of things about you.
I know, I know.
So what's the story, Alice? Are you gay? Are you straight? Are you bisexial? Which?!
Oh, I'm straight. I'm attracted only to members of the opposite sex - girls, that is.
But you have a girl's name; you wear all that make-up. Don't you expect people to get the impression that your not straight?
Well, I have a girl's name, but that's kind of a goof. And lots of men who perform wear make-up - that's a theatrical tradition, it has nothing to do with sexuality. And I do not attempt to look like a girl, in case you haven't noticed. I'm not a transvestite - I don't imitate women. Did you ever see a woman who looked the way I do? If one did, she'd really get called a weirdo!
Nevertheless, we get all these letters saying "Alice is a fag!" I'm sure you get them too. How do you account for that?
To some extent, I must admit, we do encourage that impression. But I'm not a "fag" - you know I don't like the word "fag" because it's insulting to gay people.
What impression do you encourage?
Oh, you know, bizarre, kinky, neither-here-nor-there. But I never went out of my way to lead people to believe that I was actually homosexual. After all, make-up and costumes have nothing to do with homosexuality - the only pertinent factor is whether or not you're attracted to people of your own sex.
I'm sorry they feel that way, but there are a lot of gay people who don't mind what I do also. It's all in fun, and it's certainly not meant to be malicious in any way whatsoever.
Don't you think that a lot of your fans want to believe that you're gay?
Yes, I know they do. Isn't that curious? They'll read this interview, and they'll say, "Bull! We know he's queer!" Nothing I could say or do could convince them that I'm not.
Why do you think that is?
I figure it probably makes these kids feel far-out to think that they can dig a performer who's sopposedly gay. I think that's groovy of them.
Would you admit it if you were homosexual?
Of course, and I wouldn't just admit it, as if it were something you're supposed to conceal. I'd just be it. I'd be natural about it, and I don't see where it would be very much different for me, except I'd be making it with men instead of women.
Aren't you even just a little bit bisexual?
You mean do I mostly like girls, but do I like boys sometimes? No, I only like girls, but if I could have chosen my own sexuality, I think I might have chosen to be bisexual.
Why is that?
It would give me twice as many people to pick from!
Do you really mean that?
Sure - I think in the future everyone will be bisexual. And everything would be so much simpler then - you'd just make love with anyone you liked, and it wouldn't matter what sex they were, and maybe it also wouldn't matter what color they were, or what age, or anything, except that you liked them.
How did you jump from bisexuality to these factors like race and age?
Well, I actually prefer the concept of pansexuality, rather than bisexuality. The prefix "pan" means that you're open to all kinds of sexual experiences, with all kinds of people. It means an end to restrictions, it means you could relate sexually to any human being, it means and end to unreal limits. I like that idea.
Then what happens to such institutions as marriage and the family?
Look what's happening to them now - they're in terrible shape. More than half of all marriages end in divorce, and all families seem to end with the children wanting out by the time they're 14. These institutions are a mess, they need some shaking up. I don't know if there's a magic cure, but I just feel that it should be possible to make love to anyone you like.
Is it possible that you might become pansexual?
Anything is possible.
Is it likely?
Well, now you're back to categories. You're asking me if I could go from one category to another category. So far, my sexual desires and experiences have been orientated towards girls of my own race and age. But someday I might meet a guy that I'd flip out for, or an older person, or a black or yellow person. And I would hope that there would be no barriers between us, and that our feelings towards each other would just flow like water from a fountain. I'm not straining to make this happen - because that would be unnatural too. I'm just saying it might happen, and if it does, I'll be open enough to take it as it comes.
Well, I'll give SPEC another interview, and I'll tell you what it was like.
It's a date!
Are you gonna want all the gory details?
Yes!
Well, that should be no problem. I've got a good head for details.
Alice In The Movies!
ALICE COOPER’s first full-length color movie Good To See You Again Alice Cooper will be coming to your town any week now. Scheduled for late June or early July release, Good To See You incorporates footage from Alice’s outrageous concerts along with especially-made madness antics by Alice and the gang. Watch your local movie listings — this izza don’t miss...
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