Tim Gunn Saw J. Edgar Hoover In Vivian Vance Drag
Project Runway's demanding but lovable celebrity judge Tim Gunn says
he saw FBI director J. Edgar Hoover dressed in drag as Vivian Vance,
who starred as Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy, celebrity gossip site
Gunn made his remarks during a lecture at the 92nd Street Young
Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association, also known as 92Y,
on Sunday.
On a visit to FBI headquarters to visit his father, FBI agent George William
Gunn, a young Tim Gunn and his sister was introduced to Vivian Vance,
who played Ethel Mertz on the much-loved television sitcom
I Love Lucy, in Hoover's office.
“Dad said to us, 'You're going to get the biggest kick out of this. Guess
who's in Mr. Hoover's office?' 'Who!' 'Ethel Mertz. Vivian Vance!'”
“So, my sister and I were escorted in, and we met Miss Vance, who
was lovely,” the openly gay Gunn said.
Gunn recalls talking about the meeting years later with his sister.
“I turned to my sister and I said, 'Do you remember the time we
visited Mr. Hoover in his office and met Vivian Vance?' And she
said yes. And I said, 'You know, it strikes me now as really weird that
Mr. Hoover wasn't in the office!' And those of you who know what
Hoover looked like – picture J. Edgar Hoover. Picture Ethel Mertz.
Picture them side by side.”
“I can't prove it,” Gunn added, “but it was odd.”
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