 Marc Peurye was born Dec. 28, 1963 at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. That was such a landmark day (“December 1963 – Oh What a Night”), the hospital has since been closed and is being turned into condos. I grew up within two and a half blocks in Skokie, IL. Within those blocks was my childhood home, the elementary school I attended, the family business (Peurye Cyclery, a bicycle shop) and the branch of my Hebrew school, Temple Beth Israel. The synagogue has since sold the branch to a Korean Church and consolidated everything into one building, a shiny metal former bank building. Jews in a bank? Are the Torahs on a time lock? Do they make interest on my pledges? Do tickets to High Holidays come with a free toaster?
I’ve done everything a nice Jewish boy should do. Been consecrated, confirmed, barmitzvahed, graduated Hebrew School, Sunday School, Sabbath School, Jewish overnight camp, been member of many Jewish youth groups including B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO/AZA), those at my temple, Chicago Federation of Temple Youth (CFTY) and I have even been to Israel for two full summers of my life. During my Israel trips, I even spent part of the time living in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. (Adam Sandler film festivals, who knew?) I am also a life member of a Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi (so is Gene Wilder, Kenny Loggins and I can’t remember if it is Simon and Garfunkel or just Garfunkel). From my fraternity brothers I learned two important things – how to tap a pony keg (our brand was Lowenbrau – Jews with beer imported from Germany) and that marijuana is kosher and completely appropriate on Shabbat, even on Passover.
 My Hebrew is as good as my Spanish. They never really teach you to fluently speak Hebrew in Hebrew School (thank God people in Israel speak English too.) just enough to recite the prayers and sing along. Want to hear it? I can do the whole Jewish service forward and backwards. I used to be able to do it with the Greek and Hebrew alphabets too. Did me no good in Israel. They speak Hebrew and pray at a speed, I couldn’t hope to keep up. Keanu Reeves drives slower than they pray.
I came out when I was 16 and a junior at Niles North High School. It was met with “Yes, we know.” When the boys had a crush on Farrah Fawcett, I wanted to drive away with Tom Selleck. My mom wasn’t even surprised but she did say how disappointed that I would never give her grandchildren. But mom I said, you already complain you have one who never calls and never visits. Why would another one who does that?
|
|
I originally went to Niles East High School. It closed at the end of my sophomore year. If you want to see what it looked like, it ended up in several movies including the TV movie, “Skokie” and the films “Sixteen Candles” and “Risky Business”. No joke here. I miss that place. It was the first place I got to take the stage and I will be forever grateful for that.
 My college years started at Oakton Community College, went to Southern Illinois University, where I was a writer/producer/actor on “The JoJo and Joyce Club” and became a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi and finally graduated from Columbia College in Chicago (Pat “Wheel of Fortune” Sajak’s alma mater). Political reporter and columnist Mike Royko was so riveted by my graduation from Columbia that he fell asleep in his chair.
During my marriage to the “Schmuck” (Mom’s loving nickname for the second of my two husbands), I started becoming the bear I am today. That was when he informed that he preferred blonde bodybuilders (I hate it when she’s right).
I have written for many years (screenplays, newsletters, stories, poems, etc) and performed in amateur productions while working with the Chicago glbt community. Alone and as parts of many organizations, I have raised 100’s and 1000’s of dollars for various charities. My current one is Vital Bridges, www.vitalbridges.org (Check it out. It’s run by a nice Jewish lady with hair almost as big as my mom’s and fun, giving personality to match. No one should have to choose between the meds to keep them well and whether they eat this week.) Also, I did almost everything my mom wanted. She died in May 2007 (ten years to the month after my father). I was free finally to do what I wanted.
So here I am at open mics, tour dates, and showcases (in some cases emceeing and producing) working with the next generation of comics, pumping out books and stories like crazy and finally living my life. I have always been silly and everyone has always been laughing at me. Now hopefully they are laughing with me as well. I’d like to leave it as my legacy and maybe get a paycheck or two from it along the way. I’ll make you a deal. Keep an eye out for me and I’ll do my best. Don’t worry! We’ll have a great time.
See you at the buffet.
|
today ~