Josh Kilmer-Purcell

Josh Kilmer-Purcell (born August 28, 1969) is an American writer, advertising executive, and former drag queen. In 2006 Harper Perennial published "," a tragicomic account of Kilmer-Purcell's early days in New York City, living as an advertising art director by day and a drag queen named "Aquadisiac" (or "Aqua") by night. The memoir details his relationship with a crack-addicted male escort, "Jack," and was a New York Times bestseller in the spring of 2006. "Candy Everybody Wants," a novel by Kilmer-Purcell, was published by HarperPerennial in 2008.

Starting in 2006 Kilmer-Purcell began writing a monthly column about urban gay life for OUT Magazine.

Biography

Kilmer-Purcell (born "Joshua Gordon Kilmer") was born in Albany, New York, and moved to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin during his grade school years. He graduated from high school in Massachusetts and attended Michigan State University, where he studied creative writing with the poet Diane Wakoski. He received a BA in English Literature in 1991.

Career

Kilmer-Purcell has worked at several Manhattan advertising agencies, including Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners, Merkley Newman Harty, TBWAChiat Day, and SS+K. It is widely believed that the events in "" took place while he was working at Merkley Newman Harty. In his advertising career, he's won several prestigious awards including an Emmy, Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, and Clios.

As his drag queen alter ego, "Aqua," Kilmer-Purcell performed at nightclubs in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Tokyo. "Aqua" was best known for her use of live goldfish in the breasts of her costumes. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent a letter of protest to Kilmer-Purcell condemning the use of live animals in his shows. [http://litpark.com/2006/08/31/josh-kilmer-purcell/]

Kilmer-Purcell is a founding member of "The Memoirists Collective," a writers group consisting of the authors Danielle Trussoni, Maria Dahvana Headley, and Hillary Carlip.

Personal

Kilmer-Purcell and his partner, Dr. Brent Ridge, a doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital who is the vice president of healthy living at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, have been together since 2000. They live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and a farm in upstate New York, where they raise goats and manufacture organic goats-milk soaps. [http://beekman1802.com/1802_homepage.html]

External links

* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16851690 Kilmer-Purcell essay on National Public Radio]
* [http://www.beekman1802.com Website of Kilmer-Purcell and Ridge's farm and soap business]
* [http://www.iamnotmyselfthesedays.com/ "I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir" Website]
* [http://bsrlive.com/archives/playlist.php?p=4226 Josh Kilmer-Purcell live radio interview on BSR]
* [http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=35686 Interview with Kilmer-Purcell in the State News of Michigan State University]
* [http://www.afterelton.com/print/2006/5/purcell.html Interview with Kilmer-Purcell on afterelton.com]
* [http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=11925 Interview with Kilmer-Purcell in Philadelphia Weekly]
* [http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/29459/Josh_KilmerPurcell/index.aspx Kilmer-Purcell's biography at HarperCollins]
* [http://www.chicagopride.com/news/interview.cfm/articleid/99025 Interview with Kilmer-Purcell on chicagopride.com]
* [http://litpark.com/2006/08/31/josh-kilmer-purcell Interview with Kilmer-Purcell on litpark.com]
* [http://www.feastoffools.net/archives/2006/02/fof_238_-the_tr.php Interview with Kilmer-Purcell on Feast of Fools Podcast]
* [http://www.memoiristscollective.com Website of The Memoirists Collective]
* [http://www.harperperennial.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=53223 Interview with Kilmer-Purcell on HarperCollins website]