Tributes to Orlando
civic icon Billy Manes flow in after his recent death.
To his many fans, Orlando journalist Billy Manes was a rock star.
The LGBT activist is getting love from the rock world — and from radio as well.
NPR’s “All Things Considered” on Monday paid tribute to Manes, who died Friday at 45. Host Ari Shapiro said Manes “crackled with energy” and described him as an anchor and a voice for Orlando shortly after the Pulse nightclub attack in June 2016. Manes recalled facing homophobia in his 20s and being shot by BB guns when he went to gay bars.
Shapiro revisited Manes in December, and the gay activist offered his response to the November election.
“What I do is try to love more,” Manes told Shapiro. “It sounds so flaky.”
Anthony Mauss, Manes’ husband, will be a guest on 90.7 WMFE’s “Intersection” at 9 a.m. today. It will be the last segment of the program, and it will start close to 9:45 a.m. The program also features Erin Sullivan and Jessica Bryce Young, who were Manes’ colleagues at Orlando Weekly.
WMFE news director Catherine Welch conducted the interviews.
“We talked about his role in the LGBT community and about Billy as a journalist,” Welch said. “Tony talked about how the world was introduced to Billy after Pulse and what he was like when the cameras were off. It’s a celebration of his life and his impact.”
On Facebook, Manes revealed he had been let go by Watermark, where he had been editor-inchief for two years, on July 14.
He died a week later.
He had been ill for several weeks with pneumonia, and his worsening condition led to organ failure, Mauss said in a statement to Orlando Weekly. Manes made his mark at that publication with his columns and stories.
Then there are the musical tributes. Cindy Wilson of The B-52’s will dedicate her show this week at Will’s Pub to Manes. She announced that news on Facebook, saying: “So sorry to hear of the passing of Billy Manes.”
“The last published icon interview Billy did with Watermark was with Cindy,” said Jeffrey Scott, who knows Wilson and is the owner of a vintage boutique in The Lovely, a store that offers multiple collections and promotes local artisans. “I have been friends with her for several decades and let her know of his passing on Saturday.”
Wilson performs at 9 p.m. Thursday at Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. Tickets range from $12 to $15. She will do a CD signing at The Lovely, 2906 Corrine Drive, from 4-6 p.m. Thursday.
Wilson appreciated the Manes interview, Scott said, and it stood out to her in a slew of chats.
“The questions weren’t the usual — not the sameold, same-old,” Scott said. “Billy asked about the music. He was Billy. She remembered.”
Manes was a huge fan of Duran Duran. On Saturday, the English band tweeted: “Thanks for all the kind words, the support, the passion & more. ‘I’ll see you in some other lifetime’ @billymanes”
Cindy Wilson will dedicate her show this week to Billy Manes.