“As my therapist would say, it’s enlightenment by shotgun.”
—Patrick Sean O’Brien

Holy crap. I just finished watching TransFatty Lives, a documentary by Patrick Sean O’Brien. He’s been living with ALS for 10 years. I’m still digesting the movie, but also excited to write about it. The angles, the music, the appearances by Michele Dupree!

I caught my first glimpse of Patrick from across the crowded ballroom at last year’s ALS TDI White Coat Affair. He is a very large dude who was sporting a dyed Mohawk, and I found myself intimidated by his presence. Not scared of him, more just in awe of someone who was owning his situation so completely. The man is just so much cooler than me, a fact that was confirmed this morning as I watched his film.

Patrick was 30 years old when he was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. He was making a life for himself in New York City as a filmmaker, a writer, a DJ named TransFatty. His skill with a camera is obvious, and he sets up shots and scenes so masterfully that it’s no wonder the film won the Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award. It’s real, and difficult, but it’s also funny. There is laughter. There are hot pink walls. There is a very deep obsession with Howard Johnson’s.

At one point, Patrick says, “I never thought life could get more complicated than enjoying Menudo.”

But it did. Read More>