Part 21 (2/2)

”Nonsense, Kevster,” she replied ... ”Don't ever forget, I'm just you without a p.e.n.i.s!!!!!!!” She was INCREDIBLE. I miss those days so much!

x.x.xxx, Kevan

Dear Ms. Burnett,

Here is a very specific memory of one of the times I went to a ”Carrie Hamilton House Party.” Carrie's parties were always diverse, strange, and wonderfully weird, and that night was to be no exception.

As I was driving to the Hollywood Hills with my wife, Shawnda, for the latest event at Carrie's house, I had no idea what was in store for me that night. Upon arriving, we said our h.e.l.los to the usual cast of characters. Old, young, gay, straight-all there for an evening of fun and laughs.

Truth be told, I'm more of a wallflower, sticking by people I know and with whom I can easily converse. However, as the party progressed, I found myself in the kitchen, with a group of people who were mostly strangers to me. I could use the saying ”one thing led to another,” but a cliche would not accurately describe what went down.

Unplanned. Unscripted. Unusual.

The subject of what Carrie would or would not wear was omnipresent at her parties. Standing with her and a small group of guys, that subject naturally came up. Without any hesitation or forethought, Carrie challenged us to see what it was like to ”be her”!

I suddenly found myself in her bedroom with the guys as Carrie started pa.s.sing out clothes and shoes. But the clothes were not for her or for us to merely look at, they were for us to wear! Very casually, nonchalantly, and with no qualms, our male clothing soon gave way to female clothing. But these weren't just any female clothes. These weren't just s.h.i.+rts and shoes one would see at any 'Insert Name Here' mall.

No, these were Carrie's clothes-unique, s.e.xy, and d.a.m.n hard for a guy to wear. Before long, I found myself walking down the stairs in a tight miniskirt and the highest high heels a man could possibly wear; all of us led triumphantly by Carrie.

That was Carrie. She made a non-drinking wallflower feel comfortable and at ease enough to put on a drag show in a room full of people. Something that I had never done and have never done since!

Thankfully, camera phones and social networking sites were not even on the radar at the time. All of us in that room have those unique and lasting visual memories, and that's more than enough. Thank you for the memories, Carrie.

Randy

From Philip Himberg

Artistic Director

Sundance Theatre Workshop:

July 8, 2002

Dear Carol,

The 2002 Theatre Lab starts today and I am enclosing our LAB BOOK, which is dedicated to Carrie.

Her spirit is very much here.

Much love, Philip

Dear Friends,

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