Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Another Blast: Billy Hufsey

'Like a kitten in a catnip patch, a meeting with Billy Hufsey is overwhelming, intoxicating-and a whole lot of fun.'


 This isn't my first blast back to the past with Billy Hufsey, I first featured him on the site about ten years ago. (HERE:) At the time, I wrote that I hadn't seen much of Billy on Fame, and to be honest, that hasn't really changed.  I was too young to watch Fame when it first aired, although I did catch a few episodes when it aired on a retro channel in the 1990's. 


I mostly knew the show through my mother.  Although I couldn't watch, I could listen to the music and my mother often played 'The Kids from Fame' on cassette while we were driving in the car.  All of my brothers and sisters complained, but I secretly enjoyed it, and sometimes snuck the cassette into my room to play when alone. 


I don't actually remember any songs with Billy singing on the soundtrack  but they may have been released before he joined series.  I mostly knew from Billy from his shirtless shots in magazines. I recently found some episodes on-line, and am working my way through the first season.  Although the music is bringing back memories, I'm not sure I'm going to make it to season three when Billy joins the show.


In addition to searching social media, tumblr and Tumblex for images, I also went back to see, and read Billy's Playgirl piece.   I wish I had a writer who would write a glowing, and profusely puffed piece about me one day....😏  In addition to being overly adoring, when reading, it literally screams 'the eighties'


From Playgirl:
As studly Christopher Donlon on TV's Fame, Billy sings, acts and dances a little.  But those are just three of his skills.  If he were to display the rest of them on the show, there wouldn't be any time left over for his co-stars, let alone a plot line.  Billy can also play the piano, trumpet, guitar, saxophone and drums.  He's a whiz at walking a tightrope, performing magic tricks and riding a unicycle.  He's proficient at gymnastics, and as a former undefeated Golden Gloves boxing champ, he has known how to spar since elementary school.


At one point there was serious consideration of a pro career in the ring, but a hyperextended elbow in 1976 halted that.  Instead, the fighter turned to disco dancing, where he promptly won the United States Singles Disco Championship in 1979.  By then, Billy was also a professional model.


'His macho friends weren't exactly thrilled by his 'sissy' interests, but Billy was never one to bow to pressure.'


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