I was fortunate enough to share my fan videos with one of my utmost closest friends (who just happened to remarkably resemble Ken Hutchinson) and to be graced by his feedback. I have thousands of email exchanges with him over 14 years, and hours of recordings, so I didn’t have time to research all of my threads about fan videos for this Countdown (many of those conversations took place over the phone or Skype), but herewith a couple of email exchanges.
RE: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
Laura: I may have shared this with you already:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsBDFgAWFY
David: Never seen it before. The best fan video I’ve ever seen.
Laura: If you’re serious, then I’ll admit to having done it. Cuz I did. If you’re not serious, you’re being sarcastic, then I’ll hide my head under the pillow.
David: I’m not being sarcastic and you know I’m not. It’s great! You did a brilliant job. Real classy… understated and it means something.
DREAMS THAT NEVER CAME TRUE
RE: WE’LL MAKE IT THROUGH
By Amber Raine (aka Laura Moretti)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20zkvdVPBzk
[January 3, 2023]
David’s review:
Subject: Written at 3 a.m.
Hi there,
Tried to Skype, but I’m a little rusty and don’t know if you got my msg and I didn’t want to disappear another day. I even took a shower this morning because I was going to call. Temp is still up. 101 and still coughing and weak, but can see a light down the road.
Quick thought/note re: the S&H vid. I think we can include fewer hugs and holding moments. Try to build a sense that underneath the moments lies a deep friendship, but not obvious. Use day-to-day pieces—work, action, small moments of connection and humor, etc. We can discuss. And then, at the end, the pay-off: ONE big hug… just ONE.
Re: the music… is there any one of my tunes that might work? Or can we find a straight instrumental piece? I’m probably making no sense. I really can’t think clearly or creatively right now. The above was a reaction to what I saw. Point is, ‘they’ (meaning the fans) already know that we are BFFs. Now give them something a bit different. Friendship is built on trust. More later.
Lots of love,
Dxx
[In a Skype call, after I informed him that the video was already finished and posted to the Internet, he suggested we create a Starsky & Hutch fan video together (from scratch) sometime.]
Starsky & Hutch were always on his mind; herewith just one instance:
Hiya,
About to call, but wanted to send this. Who do these guys remind you of? Cary Grant & Randolph Scott (roommates in a beach house in Malibu).
BTW, if you have a copy [this makes me laugh because he KNOWS I do], would you send me the HUSKY & STARCH on the beach photo? I want to send it to [someone] who, rather than celebrating FREEDOM, was celebrating ‘Straight Pride.’ He just doesn’t get it! I want to make a point.
See you in a minute.
Dxxx
Click on the image to view it larger.
[What David did with that HUSKY & STARCH beach photo; i.e., the point he was making, he never said—except that I know he definitely appreciated Gay Pride as well as gay rights.]
Click on the image to view it larger.
Beach photoshoot image that David referenced with “Who do these guys remind you of?”
I’m so glad you shared this. I wish you had been able to collaborate on a S&H video. I mean, seriously, how amazing would it have been to have Hutch directing you on a fan vid??? Thank you, Laura/Amber, my SSM, for giving this gift to the people here who appreciate what you’ve been privileged to receive from this very special friendship you had with David over the years.
Laura, thank you SO much for sharing these personal conversations you had with David, especially the one from Jan 3. How cute that he showered for you. 🥲 And how poignant that he could see the light of recovery only to be gone a short time later. You were, indeed, privileged to have 14 years with our golden boy. And yet 14 years isn’t enough.
The vids are beautiful. I agree/disagree with David about the second one. Yes, it would have been impactful to have one major hug at the end. But the hugs in the vid were necessary to the action. And hugging is so them. Sorry, Dave! ❤️
You have shared with us a fandom treasure–allowing us a glimpse into a very special relationship. Thank you for trusting us all with this look into your friendship with David. It’s beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharing these treasured moments. From a pure fan’s perspective, losing David has been difficult, so I can only imagine how difficult it has been for the people closest to him. Sharing these moments will help keep his memory, character, and conviction toward his causes and craft alive. Again, thank you so much.
Very touching. Thank you for sharing. I’m kinda choked up, “hearing” his voice.
Wow, awesome!
What a gem! A gem that you will always have these communications from a dear friend. A gem of the man who just happened to remarkably resemble Ken Hutchinson. But mostly, a gem that you have shared this with all of us. You could have easily kept this as your treasured memory, but that you thought enough to share with us is just priceless. Thank you!
How nice and special. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for sharing that with all of us. So amazing!
Thank you. Can’t say much more because I’m still choked up about it, but THANK you for the wonderful glimpse. XX
I get all choked up every time I read this.
Thank you for sharing these precious moments with us.
What a great memory!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. To get a little snippet of your friendship with him is so touching. I felt such tears fill my eyes and tightness in my chest, to read his words and then to watch these videos. It also makes me happy to know that he saw much of how we fans (bRomance) viewed their relationship and how it’s represented on video. Do you know if he ever read any of the fan fiction that was written about them (Gen or slash)?
Thank you, everyone, for these (bitter)sweet comments. As I’ve told some of you privately, I wasn’t certain how these might be received, so I sincerely didn’t expect that they would be as welcomed as they have been. Reading these comments has brought new tears, but grateful ones, to have your warm friendships in the mix. We all lost someone—a someone who will also live on forever.