Mike Jones. Photo by Andrew Davis__________With a presentation as open and honest as the book he was promoting, whistle-blower and former escort Mike Jones made an appearance at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, on Aug. 7.
In his book, I Had to Say Something: The Art of Ted Haggard's Fall, Jones details his three-year-long sexual relationship with the Rev. Ted Haggard, the now-former pastor of Colorado's New Life Church and the 30 million-strong National Evangelical Association. Jones also discusses what went into his decision to 'out' Haggard after he discovered who he really wasa decision that eventually affected himself, Haggard and even the 2006 midterm elections.
Jones read a couple of passages, including a moving one involving the passing of his best friendhis mother, but a candid question-and-answer session and Jones' own honest reflections dominated the evening. 'A big misconception with me is that the gay community has rallied around me,' Jones said at one point. 'That's not the case. A big portion hasbut I reached out to groups like the HRC [ Human Rights Campaign ] and they didn't come through. When the world came crashing around me [ after outing Haggard ] and I needed help, I couldn't find it. So I think what we need to do first as a gay community is look at ourselves. We're not as cohesive as people think.
'When I travel, people ask, 'How many gay pride events have you been invited to this year?' None,' he added, indicating that Denver's straight community has been more supportive than the LGBT one. 'I've been yelled at, spit upon and called every name in publicand all that came from the gay community,' he said.
He also responded to criticisms about his book. 'This one critic wrote that I acted like I was the victim through what I wrote in this bookand you know what? I am,' Jones said. 'Every gay person has been a victim of the religious right.' He said that he has also been accused of 'exploiting the situation for financial gain' but reminded the audience that he could have easily blackmailed Haggard and been on the church payroll. 'And let me tell you this: Ted Haggard and the religious right have exploited the gay community for many, many years,' he added, as the audience applauded.
Jones added several interesting side notes throughout the evening, such as the fact that New Life Church has replaced the homoerotic images of muscular men with crosses and that, when he was an escort, 80 percent of his clientele consisted of married men while 15 percent were members of the clergy. He also said that when he found out that New Life Church had gotten a new pastor, he e-mailed the church, saying 'I think we need to meet' regarding the minister; the church eventually told him that the minister does not want to meet with him. In addition, Jones said that he has received 'about a dozen death threats since the story broke.'
Before reading, Jones said that 'ultimately, what we really need to know about my story is that it's much more than Ted Haggard. It's about how the church deals with homosexualitythey sweep it under the rug as quickly as possible and try to make it go away.'
Several of the attendees thanked Jones for his bravery, and the adulation carried over into a post-reading reception.
Lambda Literary Foundation and the Center sponsored the program. The foundation's Judith Markowitz and the Center's C.C. Carter provided remarks and an introduction, respectively, before Jones' reading.