In March 1996, Michael Alig killed his roommate and drug dealer Angel Melendez by smashing his head three times with a hammer and injecting Drano into his veins.
Weeks later, Alig dismembered the body, placed the parts in a cardboard box, and threw it into the Hudson River.
Today, World of Wonder, the production company that brings you RuPaul’s Drag Race, is helping him sell art that he created during the 17-year prison sentence he served for the conviction of Melendez’s murder.
The art, which is now available for purchase online, is inspired by the drug-fueled club scene that helped motivate Alig to murder Melendez.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
But why?
World of Wonder has been in bed with Michael Alig since the beginning. In the 1980’s, WOW founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato were known as disco/pop duo The Fabulous Pop Tarts, and associated with Alig as scenesters who attended his parties along with some NYC’s most infamous Club Kids, including Amanda Lepore, Richie Rich, and James St. James.
Michael Alig’s conviction and Giuliani’s crackdown led to the demise of their scene, so while Alig served his prison sentence (and painted, apparently), Barbato and Bailey launched World of Wonder.
To their credit, Barbato and Bailey have created some fantastic projects through WOW, including Inside Deep Throat, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Party Monster, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. They’re also credited with helping RuPaul launch some of her earliest radio singles, and in turn, her career.
When Alig was released from prison earlier this year, WOW was there to pick him up, reintroduce him to the world, teach him social media, and help him launch a successful post-prison career.
The company was immediately met with criticism over accusations that it was trying to “profit” off of Alig’s crime and fame associated with the crime (something they obviously already did with Party Monster).
But in this case, WOW is helping Alig sell his artwork on a third-party site by alerting their fans. The art listed includes a self-portrait, a “Special K” key ring, and a painting of a “zombie girl” jumping rope. Needless to say, people are a bit miffed by the promotion.
On Facebook, one commenter writes: “I tried to get WOW to mention my art show with Phyllis Diller, Ru girls and 50 others. Not one mention. Guess I needed a murderer as a participating artist. Now I know what it takes.”
Another chimes in: “Unless the profits from this are going to the Melendez family or charity, this is very distasteful.”
We’re all for acclimating Michael Alig back into society, but something about the WOW powerhouse promoting these crime reminiscent lithographs feels a bit like a crime in itself.
Cam
If the pictures are crime reminicient I believe that Alig and WOW will run afoul of the law that states a murderer cannot profit off of their crime. All the profits from things like book sales or art must go to the heirs of the victim.
I hope the Melendez Family is aware of that.
Cam
A Son of Sam law, first created in New York… is any American law designed to keep criminals from profiting from the publicity of their crimes, often by selling their stories to publishers. However, this is not in the same manner of asset forfeiture, which is intended to seize assets acquired directly as a result of criminal activity. Where asset forfeiture looks to remove the profitability of crimes by taking away money and assets gained from the crime, Son of Sam laws are designed so that criminals are unable to take advantage of the notoriety of their crimes. Such laws often authorize the state to seize money earned from deals such as book/movie biographies and paid interviews and use it to compensate the criminal’s victims. The term “Son of Sam” refers to the nickname of serial killer David Berkowitz, the subject of a notorious 1978 murder case.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Sam_law
SteveDenver
I had huge respect for WOW, Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey. This is ugly and wrong. I hope they come to their senses. Alig deserves to be shunned and forgotten.
jel1955
In my opinion, Mr. Alig did not serve enough time. We should be holding people in prison for at least 30 years, if they have committed horrendous murders. Society deserves that deterrent in place.
Beyond that, we live in a capitalist society. I don’t see how anyone has a claim on Alig’s profits from the sale of the art he created in prison, or the art he creates as a free man. As long as he is not directly profiting from his crime, it is hard to see how the RICO or Son of Sam statutes apply. Then, again, I am not an expert with respect to either US or NY criminal statutes.
Now, the fact that Mr. Alig’s art seems oddly reminiscent of the work Andy Warhol did many years ago might lead a critic to find it worth little to nothing as an investment. That leads one to wonder if the reason the work is selling is because of the notoriety of its creator?
In the end, in my opinion, Mr. Alig was not held sufficiently accountable by society for the crime he committed; and that is what is wrong about this entire scenario. Mr. Alig murdered another human being, and in a heinous and hideous manner; and in an attempt to avoid being held responsible for other crimes he committed. Mr. Alig should still be in jail.
reallygoodthings
The Son of Sam law makes profiting from his murder of Angel Melendez a crime. I hope the Melendez family sues their ass.
Matthew Tharrett
@jel1955: “We should be holding people in prison for at least 30 years, if they have committed horrendous murders.”
For clarity, Alig was convicted of manslaughter, not murder, which is why you see the lesser penalty. If I remember correctly, the charge was based on evidence that suggested he could have possibly killed in self defense (though it’s unlikely).
The Feds also helped lessen the charge in exchange for his testimony against Peter Gatien in a drug-related case. This was Giuliani’s New York, so shutting down clubs and chasing drugs were a higher priority than murder.
Bobby Christina Crawford
I am glad that Alig is attempting to make a comeback. It is important that while gay men enjoy fun as much as the next guy, we do NOT CELEBRATE MURDER. ALIG belong on a pedestal for skewing, spiting, and for laughing at. He no longer needs costumes or make up. His now wretched skin is laughable. It is now okay to laugh at his speech impediment. He is now old so his ditzyness is not cute, but rather Alzheimerish. No company in their right ind whould or will give this piece of shit a dollar. And to Musto/James and others who cherish each bit of shit they can scoop out of his rancid ass, they too should realize the even alig’s turds have an expiration date.
I was hoping that WOW would try to rise above their rapid decent into the cesspool of turd TV with Tori Spelling. Their tried to make her a star that she was never meant to be….and then WOW had the fucking nerve to get bitchy with commenters who did not show enough respect for the child of love boat. Yet the same people were bashing GaGa or Madge for lacking originality while wearing their Tori Baby T Shirts.
scotshot
@Matthew Tharrett: I’ve never seen an editor deign to communicate with the rabble. Is Alig a friend or relative?
Lvng1tor
A corporation that makes it’s money in the reality arena is trying to make a buck off of tragedy? Quelle Horreur! I find it revolting personally but the man did “pay his due” as far as the courts say. He needs to make a living and at least it is no longer on the tax dollar, hopefully. I had hoped that WOW would be getting better and better with representation as the $$$ started flowing from the LGBTQA world but I guess they figure base sells better and probably does. As for all the “Son of Sam” talk above I’m sure WOW’s cadre of lawyers have already handled everything probably long before he got out of jail.
Saint Law
@scotshot: Oh you obtuse buttock. Did you actually read the post?
Cam
@scotshot: said…. “@Matthew Tharrett: I’ve never seen an editor deign to communicate with the rabble. Is Alig a friend or relative?”
____________________
Actually Matthew has commented before, his comment was actually clarifying the question as to why Alig didn’t get more time.
I’ve agreed and dissagreed with Matthew’s posts on here, but I have no idea why you got so pissy about his post, I thought it looked purely informational.
Tracy Pope
Was not aware that WOW was The Fabulous Pop Tarts. That alone would make me question anything they do.
As an aside here… Unless something has changed during the last couple weeks I’ve been on vacation, I believe Ru Paul considers himself a “him” not “her”.
scotshot
@Saint Law: Yes.
scotshot
@Cam: In my experience, I personally have never seen the editor reply to any commentary or to clear up any “misunderstanding” of an article, which is the subject of my comment.
For you to comment on my “attitude” you merely need to look in a mirror to see the person your post should have addressed. Take a look at your own posting history.
Cam
@scotshot:
His comment was emotionless and clarified a misunderstanding. You accused him of bias and being friends with a murderer when the post showed none of that.
Before you tell people to read posts you should take your own advice, if you actually read and comprehended what was written in the post you might have realized that your reply to it made no sense whatsoever.
And your experience is irrelevant, I’m telling you that a 5 second search on Queerty will show you plenty of times Editors have replied.
But I’m assuming facts are irrelevant to you since your first posting had nothing to do with the post you claim you were replying to.