they say it's your birthday...
HAPPY THIRTY-THIRD BIRTHDAY,
GERARD ARTHUR WAY!
(why do I always write their full names in my 'happy bday' posts? Wtf.)
So. April 9th, 1977 gave us this motherfucker.
He's such a fucking diva, he should be giving classes.
He basically resettled the bar on the Too Fucking Dorky To Exist-o-meter.
His ego is about the size of a freight train and it tends to run away from him, sometimes.
And, idk, someone once told him he could sing and he, for some reason, believed it. Which I find epically hilarious on a thousand different levels.
He looks so much like a girl, I'm not entirely convinced he isn't one.
Gerard doesn't seem to believe in baths and actualfax thought it was a smart idea to shave his balls to try and get rid of the smell. Because soap and water were obviously too much effort and sacrifice (little happy ending for that story, in case you never heard of it: he cut himself doing that and there was blood everywhere. Hilarity.)
His depression and attention seeking behavior lead him to a self-destructive path that almost killed him and the band.
For reasons beyound my comprehension, he thinks it's a good idea to do this to his brother on stage. GERARD, STOP THAT RIGHT NOW. THAT GUY IS YOUR BABY BROTHER, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
El oh el, lame-ass jerk, huh?
Well. Yes and no.
Despite a lot of evidence to the contrary, I actually think Gerard Way is a fascinating creature.
Growing up being this weird probably wasn't easy and he went through a lot of emotional shit as the years went by.
*emotional shit going down*
But Gerard had a dream, okay.
That dream was to become famous change the world and save lives.
The timing to get that plan going seemed perfect when he witnessed the Twin Towers come tumbling down on his way to work, realizing that clichés are full of wisdom, for life really IS short. He quit his job as an artist for Cartoon Network and decided to get his shit together.
So he started a band to show kids that it was okay to be messed up. Because there were five dudes in that band who were just as messed up as them and made it through.
My Chemical Romance went on a quest to preach about social equality, taking it as a personal goal to get people to understand homophobia, sexism and racism were bullshit.
They're very dedicated to that cause.
Gerard wants to make sure you're very uncomfortable by this so he can explain to you how stupid you are for being weirded out by some guy/guy action.
Part of his dedication to his own cause is expressed in more... Subjective ways.
Women are not the weaker sex.
And Lindsey Ballatto will - literally! - bend backwards to prove that.
On top of being insanely hot...
...badass...
...and playing bass in a punk band;
Lindsey is also a talented artist and she just okay-ed to have her material exhibited in September.
...I might be absurdly excited about this and making plans to go see it.
Their kid is so adorable, I get toothaches whenever I look at her pictures.
But being in a successful band and being married to a gorgeous, badass chick wasn't enough. There were other things to be said and other means to explore in order to say them.
Cue to the Umbrella Academy.
His very impressive comic book geekiness inspired him to write his own graphic novel series. And like everything else he sets his mind to, the dude basically mastered it.
What's in store for the next thirty-three years? He's accomplished so much in so little time. Touched so many lives, inspired so many people (for better or worse), held up flags and did everything in his power to convince everyone that he and the guys in his band were right to try any means necessary to get people to understand that love - and some razzle-dazzling - were the things missing the most in the world and it is our duty to spread them.
Despite his many flaws, the world is a bit brigther, a bit gayer, a bit more tolerant because of him.
Happy Birthday, dude. Live long and be happy.
=]