Like a bizarro version of ex-wife Terry McMillan's How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Jonathan Plummer's Balancing Act follows the story of a young Jamaican seduced by a powerful American woman. And, as in Jamaica-born Plummer's real life, the young lover breaks the wealthy woman's heart by coming out and scandal ensues.
Despite the admitted parallels to his life – one passage explicitly refers to Stella's titular groove – Plummer calls his book fiction. Simon & Schuster's legal department even made sure to include a disclaimer saying as much. Still, we’ve got our doubts.
One thing’s for sure: the book’s opened an entirely new chapter of drama for Plummer, McMillan and a slew of new characters.
33-year old Plummer first popped into popular culture in 1995, when Waiting To Exhale novelist Terry McMillan jetted to Jamaica for a mid-life sabbatical. It’s on the island that McMillan met and wooed Plummer, a Jamaican national who moved to America for her, thus providing a neat ending for what would become How Stella Got Her Groove Back. They married in 1998.
The seemingly storybook romance would come crashing down six years later, when Plummer came out of the closet. McMillan filed for divorce one month later. At the time, McMillan said:
It was devastating to discover that a relationship I had publicized to the world as life-affirming and built on mutual love was actually based on deceit. I was humiliated.
And then she got angry. McMillan accused Plummer of knowingly deceiving her and Plummer called the novelist a homophobe. The drama continued this year, when McMillan filed a $40 million lawsuit against Plummer.
Now, over six months later, Plummer’s released his own book, Balancing Act. Sold as a coming out novel, this waste of paper’s nothing more than Plummer’s vain – and vapid – attempt to tell his side of the story. Yes, he told us the book’s “total fiction,†but breaks down in knowing giggles when the issue’s pressed.
Balancing Act tells the tale of a man named Jonathan who’s plucked from Jamaica by a powerful American woman, Tasha. As the predictable story unfolds, nascent supermodel Justin comes into his latent homosexuality, thus throwing a wrench in his sumptuous, money soaked relationship with Tasha. A true "hero", as Plummer calls him, Justin comes out to Tasha, who flies off the handle and unleashes a series of vengeful events. Sound familiar? It should. Sound trite? Definitely.
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Terry McMillan isn't the only highly intelligent artist who lacks plain old common sense, and is vulnerable. I say don't contribute one nickel to Jonathan Plummer, and that goes for his brother Liquid, too.
Maelan Magazine and VIP Talk Radio had an interview with Jonathan Plummer on October 6, 2007. Jonathan didn't not fullfill is obligation and reclined the interiew indirectly through another party. Maelan Magazine's publisher and associates spent numerous days and hours promoting Jonathan and his book. It was an unpaid experience!
How do you 'recline' an interview?
OMG, that "nectar" passage. If they're going for comedy, mission accomplished!
My article, "The Mismanagement of Jonathan Plummer" was scrapped from Nathan Seven Scott's website and really should not have been reproduced here. It was pulled due to inaccuracies furnished to me . I apologize to the Plummers whom I never met. You will be approached by a lot of fraudsters. Pray and use your discernment and you'll be alright.
Regarding Balancing Act, it's a good first fiction! Give us some more…
Love,
Vanessa Lake
My lengthy expose on Jonathan Plummer and his book "Balancing Act", and my companion editorial on the controversy between Mr. Plummer and
Mr. Russ, will soon appear on Imperious Entertainment and other news/entertainment sites.
I can tell you now that this Queerty article is pretty much on "the money" where the controversy is concerned. In the editorial, amongst other topics, I will discuss what it takes to sell a gay novel these days, and that Mr. Plummer made several missteps regarding this. "Balancing Act" deserves better.
Wyatt O'Brian Evans, journalist/entertainer and author of the upcoming novel gay/ethnic/erotica), "Nothing Can Tear Us Apart."
What a nasty hatchet piece! YOU'RE the one with the overwrought purple prose here, Queerty.
It's just a book, fer chrissake. How can you take it so seriously?
declined–hope U FEEL BETTER.
Let’s get a few things straight–err– I mean clear.
1) Balancing act was “ghost written†by Karen Hunter. Ms. Hunter writes books for people who cannot write books on their own. Listen to Jonathan Plummer speak, he is inarticulate, and often bursts into girlish giggles.
2) Jonathan Plummer is pushing 35 and is merely an out of work dog-groomer and sometimes hair stylist. He is not handsome enough to model, even though he portays himself– err– I mean “Justin†as a male supermodel. There has never been a male super model. Certainly if there existed a male supermodel he would be handsome. Not just sort if cute in an effiminate sort of way.
3) Do you ever see pictures of Jonathan’s cousin, Mark Plummer??? Well, he is short, obese, wears glasses, and has a receding hairline. Once could easily call him gnome-like. And if you think Jonathan sounds girlish, listen to Mark speak.
4) The book has officially bombed. Tanked. Died. No one is buying it. Not African-Americans, not gays, or as Jonathan might say “Not nobodyâ€.
5) As for Jonathan and Mark Plummer’s “fameâ€, here is a typical conversation:
“Mark Plummerâ€
“Who?â€
“Jonathan Plummer’s cousin.â€
“Who?â€
“Terry McMillan’s gay ex-husband.â€
“Who?â€
“The writer of “Waiting to Exhaleâ€.
“Oh that movie Whitney was in when she was clean and sober, wasn’t that about 15 years agoâ€.
“Yeah, that one.â€
“Who cares.â€
Balancing act is currently at #356,468 in Books on Amazon.com. How low will it go????
"Balancing Act" is now Amazon.com Sales Rank: #481,639 in Books!!!!
This book is a failure with a capital F!
Mark Plummer is an idiot. He uses malapropisms constantly. He had mediocre grades at Harvard, much like many typical affirmitive action students. He has done nothing worth mentioning since graduation. He spent time collecting unemployment insurance benefits this last year. What a big fat loser!
Now Appearing!!!! Super Plus Sized Drag Illusionist Mark Plummer now appearing as his alter ego "Shirley Insane" at "The Flame"!!!! Ms. Insane will talk candidly about her time in many, many mental hospitals, her "possessions" by "animal spirits", her time homeless, sleeping on the floor at her work, and her haunting places such as "Nob Hill Theatre" and even more notorious glory holes.
A good time will be had by all!!
Why are all of these posts about Mark and not Jonathan. Why? Cuz Mark Plummer is the bitch!….not Jonathan. Jonathan may be gay alright, but that Mark is a b-i-t-ch and I am glad is he is finally getting his.
I saw Mark Plummer on the set of the Wendy Williams show….he could be cute if he wanted to be, but he's just one of those bitch-identified men! (BIMs I call 'em)
Wendy looked at him and said "You're responsible for all of this," and he did not know what to say with his highly arched eyebrows!
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
Balancing Act was released in paperback….you go Jonathan. Sistuhs need to pick up this book read it, heed it, cuz you need it! We need to start loving our bruthas who are struggling with their sexual identity. Yes, they are our sons, brothers, and our fathers.
Karen Hunter put her foot in this….Jonathan did not write this all by himself, but he allowed his name, likness, and story to be used in a responsible way. I can’t wait for the sequel.
Hey NAA NAA,
I can spot the writing of Mark Plummer a mile away. Jonathan did not write a word of the potboiler that was written entirely by Karen Hunter. Mark, honey, get a J-O-B!!!! Obama went to Harvard too, and look what he is "doin'".
Jonathan is an aging grifter. Mark is just another "affirmative inaction" victim.
Seriously, honey, let it die already. Go somewhere that people do NOT know about the fisco you created live, like ALASKA!!!!
Lose some weight, get hair implants, get laser eye surgery, etc. and WORK for a living. Jonathan is less than nothing, and you are even less than that.
Balancing Act in paperback is now ranked on "Amazon.com Sales Rank: #905,441"
Time for Jonathan to join Mark at the welfare line!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enough of Terry's monkey business. I am sick of her monkeying around the East Bay, especially Oakland. The missing link in her logic is that even Stevie Wonder could see Jonathan is gay. She needs to swing from another tree and find a new banana to chomp on. She has gone ape too many times.