Wealthy Democratic donor and political activist Ed Buck is in a world of trouble after a second man died inside his home last week.
Timothy Dean suffered an apparent drug overdose inside Buck’s West Hollywood apartment shortly after midnight on January 7. It was a sad repeat of a similar incident that happened in July 2017, when 26-year-old Gemmel Moore also died of a drug overdose inside Buck’s home.
Now, Micheal Rce, the director of parTy Boi, a 2017 documentary that examines the impact crystal meth has had on LGBTQ people of color and features a segment on Moore’s death, is sharing what he knows about the story.
“The story of Gemmel Moore became an impactful presence in the documentary,” Rice tells Towleroad. “I wanted to humanize [him] because the media had made him to be a one-dimensional headline when in reality there were layers of complexities to his situation.”
Related: Wealthy Democratic donor accused of deadly fetish for getting young Black men high
Rice spoke with Gemmel’s mother, Latisha Nixon, as well as political activist Jasmyne Cannick, who organized a protest outside Buck’s West Hollywood home last week in response to Dean’s untimely death.
“I believe Ed Buck has a slew of fetishes that leads him to use gay black men as an outlet for fulfillment,” he says. “I think it’s an obsession.”
Rice, who claims to have spoken to many of Buck’s clients/victims, says there’s a chilling trend in each of their stories:
Many clients/victims of Buck reported the constant use of the N-word during their visit, removal of their own clothes to wear items Buck lays out for them [white long johns] and lastly to financially reward his guest by having victims or himself shoot large amounts of meth into their bodies to see the amount their bodies could withstand before passing out or overdosing. It’s sick.
When asked whether he would classify Buck as a “serial killer”, the filmmaker says he believes the 65-year-old political activist “definitely appears to have the framework of the making of one.”
“Psychologically, I believe him to be a sadistic man who receives pleasure from the pain of others and in this case, the pain of disadvantaged young gay black men,” he says.
Related: The body of another young black man was found inside the home of powerful political donor Ed Buck
“The meth epidemic in the black and brown community is extremely widespread and growing every day,” Rice continues.
“[Ed Buck] targets young black men that are socially disadvantage or in need of help with promises of financial reward or shelter in order to fulfill his slave play fetishes and meth induced like experiments.”
Watch the trailer for parTy Boi below.
HereIAm
Who in the right mind would make a film that showcases these chronic lowlife addicts? What have they done other than wasting their lives on hard drugs to contribute anything to the society? It’s time to say to these hardcore addicts that enough is enough; if you don’t quit, the government will force you to quit.
Vince
Maybe to educate others. Idiot.
Polaro
Wow. Did you read the article? Harsh. Really harsh, dude.
seaguy
You comment shows what a naive and hateful person you are. Addiction is a disease in case you were not aware. And like the other commenter said he likely made this film to educate and warn others of the harmful effects of doing meth. You don’t know those addicts and their stories other than what you saw in this trailer so that hardly gives you the moral ground to call them chronic lowlife addicts that won’t quit. How do you know they have even been able to try to quit? Oftentimes when you are poor and uninsured or just on medicaid it is hard to get into rehab.
HereIAm
“He made this film to educate people”?What a lie! Just based on the trailer, this film is doing everything it can to glorify and normalize hard drug use. Just so you know, hard drug use is not a disease. It’s a personal choice, and a really bad one. I don’t blame addicts for their addiction but they are solely responsible for their recovery.
Hdtex
HereIAm are you for real? I normally only see you spam whoring here. Talk about “lowlife”.
Greg
I’m beginning to think that you used to be the worst offender of all the things you speak out about. I’ll be you are a Republican’t too. You are so judgmental. Being that way doesn’t make you a better person nor does it make your life better. What do you care what a person makes a film about? You don’t have to watch it. Who are you to say it’s time for anything? Right, you think the “government” will force you to quit.
QueerTruth
“The government will force you…”
Dude, I hope someone forces you to get off this website. All of your comments show a clear disdain for gay men. This is a gay man’s website. Why don’t you troll somewhere else. You will be less disgusted and so will the rest of us.
cynicalsteve
Ah… the dickish hereiam shows up. Bitch please, sit your holier-than-thou tired queen ass down. You dumb f#ck.
Donston
Him being a sadistic/masochistic man who gets off on race play, drug use and luring addicts could be easily surmised by the first “incident”.
Vince
Timothy Dean was 55 which Queerty conveniently glosses over because it doesn’t fit the narrative of Buck being a master manipulator of Black men.
All you have to do is say you got a big bag of Tina to share and they’ll eagerly come running.
Donston
At the very least he is a manipulator who uses him money to indulge fantasies that ultimately help lead to the demise of others. He may be worse than that if he truly is purposely trying to get these guys as high as possible and gets off on sending them to the edge of death.
Stuff like this is partially why I separate “gay” from the likes of homosexual and queer. If you have genuine love, affection, romantic feelings, passion, emotional connection/contentment, etc. towards black men you’re not doing sh*t like this.
Vince
Yes but anyone who shoots meth directly into their blood stream is taking it to the edge by default. It’s russian roulette.
Bucks clearly an addict himself. I don’t think painting these guys as “victims” is helpful at all.
Donston
I see them as “victims”, though not entirely victims of Buck. It’s just a shame that instead of using his resources and voice to focus on the struggles of addictions and better himself and other people, he’s used them to indulge his dangerous fantasies. It’s also not just that he is an addict and likes being sexually involved with other addicts. I know something about that life from people who are a part of that scene or used to be. Purposely getting guys as high as possible and getting off on them passing out isn’t just a reflection of addiction but other mental strife’s and paraphilias and megalomaniac instincts. Focusing on this from the perspective of those black men who get involved with him however is important as well.
bowlingbutch
It seems there is a lot of blame to pass around here. People who are enjoying the high that is being offered along with cash and who are manipulated to want to get to the edge. They chose to go to this man after being offered the high and the cash. The manipulator. For obvious reasons he is to blame for getting these men so high and then pushing for more, although he would probably say they has a choice and we know they didn’t. And then there are the people who know all of these people has some sort of addiction and they don’t help them to stop. Lots of blame and lots of denial and lots of heart ache
SNIFFDAR
So… How would one get in touch with this Michael Rice?
SNIFFDAR
I’ve found his contact information. Thanks.