Why Leopard?

In the eighties I did an animal print tribute to Diana Ross' Eaten Alive

People who discover my love of all things leopard tend to ask the inevitable question “What got you into leopard?” After a lively posting on Facebook this morning, I got to asking myself where this obsession came from. My earliest memory of enjoying leopard was back in 1976. 

I met a really sexy older guy who rocked my world. He was dark chocolate with a deep voice. The skin was smooth as butter all over. The first night we made love, he wore a very tight pair of bikini leopard-print underwear. I remember admiring them and the way they hugged his body. I eventually bought myself a pair. I still have them in fact. I can’t fit them anymore, but they hang on a lamp cord in my bedroom.

I don’t think I really owned anything else leopard until the 90’s. I started making African print cloth dolls when I was working for QVC. I was asked to make a collection of dolls to sell at Macy’s in Crystal City for Black History Month around 1992. I decided to make a leopard print collection. During that time, when I would make appearances as a doll designer, I tended to make myself a matching outfit. I made leopard print vests for my partner and myself to make us stand out from the crowd and draw attention to the doll collection.

When my partner and I ended our relationship about four years later, I was in a situation where I was finally allowed to decorate my own place. Most of my adult years, I either spent in relationships with a dominating men. When I was married to a woman, she was an artist and a fabulous designer, so I let her handle all that stuff. I realized I always had to compromise my tastes to compliment another person. On my journey to decorate my first official “single” apartment, I ran across a couple of leopard print rugs. I liked them and purchased them. Then I purchased more items to compliment them. I loved coordinating leopard. Suddenly it came to me one day through observation that leopard print appeared to be a pattern that never went out of style. I would notice it in old movies as well as new movies. In television shows, you could always tell the sinful character by the leopard print. In fact, when I was cast in Homicide: Life on the Streets as a prostitute, I wore a leopard print ensemble.

I have seen leopard worn classy and trashy. It popped up on something in every fashion season. I made the assumption that if I purchased something in leopard print, it would always be current. After that observation, I noticed leopard print everywhere so I started adding more pieces out of the fun of collecting. As a kid, I collected comic books, Motown records and as an adult I began collecting male action figures (dolls!) I considered my leopard print items another form of collecting.

When I moved to Los Angeles with my one-man show about a cross dresser named FREEda Slave, I needed to dress a piece of furniture. Leopard seemed like the obvious choice. I even had a leopard gown designed for the character with matching leopard shoes.

  

  The other thing I discovered when I moved to LA was 99-cent stores and Big Lots. Every week I would purchase an inexpensive leopard item. It was amazing. I could go every week and find a new leopard print item. It was like they knew I was coming. TJ Maxx & Marshalls have rows of leopard print accessories every week. My Mom bought me a leopard wallet that I will treasure until it falls apart. The cashier is always amazed when I pullout that huge leopard clutch wallet in the check out line 

For my 47th birthday, I decided to throw myself a leopard print party. My significant other at the time became very upset with me. We had shouting matches about it. His mom reminded him that if that was the only thing negative he could find to fight about, he was very lucky. She went out and bout me a leopard print manicure set. GOD I love that woman! He ended up surprising me by wearing a leopard print head wrap. That was the best birthday gift he could have given me.

My leopard purchases led to me being cast in a reality show for the Discovery Channel called “Over Designed.” My friends wrote in and told them about me and they came to my home “kinda” ambushed me like a drug intervention. I was whisked away into a hotel while they re decorated my home and removed the leopard. Then they come back six weeks later to see if you went back to your old ways. The 500-dollar fee they paid me, I used to purchase more leopard print. Unfortunately, the show never aired. What a hoot!

 I threw several leopard parties over the years and even had my family dress up in leopard print. My mother loved it! Someone told me once that old women really like leopard print. Now when I see a senior citizen wearing leopard it makes me smile. Recently I discovered a great website called:


www.TheLeopardPrintMonkey.com.www.TheLeopardPrintMonkey.com




My first purchase from them was a leopard print back pack, then I got a leopard mouse pad, a computer carrying case and several high-end leopard items. The wonderful thing about the internet is you can find other people in the world who share your love of anything seemingly odd. When I released my first book, the tour was nicknamed the “Leopard Tour.” I had all leopard print luggage and a different leopard outfit for every city where I did book signings. 

Wendy Williams launched her talk show the same year. When I learned she shopped on QVC and loved leopard print, I started an internet campaign to get on her show. I posted on Facebook “What leopard shoes should I wear on Wendy?” I had three choices and each show I named after one of the original Supremes.

I sent Wendy two copies of my book wrapped in leopard fabric. Sadly, the Queen of All Media did not respond to my leopard invitation. For the most part people find it funny or cute and it is a nice conversation piece. When I first started working with kindergarten kids and wore my leopard print converse all-stars, they used to say, “Mr. Madison has cheetah sneakers!” 

This led to a discussion of the difference between a cheetah print and a leopard print. (See how I made it educational!) They squealed in excitement by the fascination of it all. One day I was called in to substitute for a 7th grade English class in a very challenging area. I had a leopard print case for my cell phone a Verizon voyager at the time. One student remarked when my phone rang and I reached to turn it off, “Oh my God. He must be gay! No man would ever have a leopard print phone!” Everything went downhill after that with her shouting remarks about my sexuality and attacking me as a person. She was later suspended for bullying.

As my birthday approaches next week and my friends and family ask me what I want. The answer is always simple. This man can never have too much leopard. I saw a leopard print iPhone cover.(HINT) Wendy Williams was wearing a size 12 pair of leopard print boots that looked really cute. (HINT! HINT!) She and I wear the same size! I am not above wearing the opposite gender clothing especially when it is leopard. As someone said to me once, there are worse addictions to have. I don’t smoke crack. I don’t rob people. I am not a serial killer. I pay most of my bills on time. I just happen to collect leopard print.

I don't wanna get eaten alive
'Cos you're so dangerous
No more hearts I can trust, you see
I don't wanna get eaten alive
'Cos you're so dangerous
No more hearts I can trust, you see
I don't wanna get eaten alive
'Cos you're dangerous
No more hearts I can trust, you see
I don't wanna get eaten alive
To be eaten alive