I was a student at CalArts at the same time Merritt was there. Like me and many other students, he'd hang out naked at the dormitory pool. He was a golden boy, flawlessly beautiful, and I was so jealous of him. He seemed to have it all together, but we never know what people are going through. I'm so sorry for his tragic fate. Thanks.
I just googled Merritt's name while watching "Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan" where Merritt was Captain Kirk's illegitimate son. This was a very nice, heartfelt tribute to an obviously much liked guy who died way too young. I was living with a girl I truly loved who loved "Square Pegs" and watched it every chance she had. It's weird how one person would describe him as troubled and others call him a warm, funny, free spirit. AIDS was and is a terrible disease too many Americans have forgotten.
well , ill miss this guy terribly. I love his role in this show and he seemed to indirectly have been a role model for myself and a few other kids floating around school in our times ( it was all about that cool braid with the babies on it !!) i wish that he could see our world today i imagine he would have fascinating things to contribute to it, and give to us
I'm not assuming anything - we will never know how he contracted HIV, it could have been from sex (straight or gay), drug abuse, or even unclean medical practices. The guy deserves our sympathy for being one of the victims of AIDS.
So true, but he was the only high schooler with a receding hairline and a bald spot.. What worked was he was so lovable, and great in the role, it totally didn't matter..totally..😅
Yes because none of these people are his family or friends, they were just his coworkers for about 8 months. Imagine if you worked at a job for 8 months and then you died, and then 25 years later they interviewed all of your coworkers, asking them what they remembered about you.
I get the feeling that none of these people really knew him b/c they don't really talk about him as a person, they just all seem to recall superficial things like driving to work with him, or speak about how he was as an actor, but no one is really recalling anything about him sharing his feelings or personal experiences with them.
@stargazerlily86 He didn't seem to be aware that he had AIDs until less than a year before his death. I think it was only months. Back then people died quickly whereas today you can have the illness for decades. He was only 29 (although for some reason Anne Beats thought he died at 25). I'm glad everyone talks about his great talent. Did you know he was forced to leave college because he was told he had no acting talent whatsoever and was wasting a spot at that school?
Some of Merritt's roles are on RUclips. His guest appearance on 'Fame' (Equals). 'Death Spa'-the full movie. He was really good in both! The full movie 'Zapped.' He only appears briefly in the beginning. The full movie 'Shy People.' Unfortunately most scenes were so dark I couldn't keep track of his role. Good luck & enjoy!
@christoJihad2 I think the "troubled" part was just Steven Peterman's recognition of Merritt's alleged drug abuse. The others were kids when they worked with him and didn't seem to catch the earmarks of someone using drugs. The actor who played the teacher caught on to what others only found out after he died. I think that is what he meant. You can be an addict and still be warm, funny and free spirited. However he got AIDS, he didn't deserve it. No one does. We should've had a cure by now.
One certainly can't assume anything, but there were certain things about his demeanor that seemed stereotypically gay. Even if he was, it was nobody's business but his own. I guess some people can ger AIDS no matter how careful they think they are being. It is sad, may he Rest in Peace.
Or, maybe she thought she knew him well enough that he would've told her that he was HIV positive, but he didn't. That's what it kind of sounds like to me, like his death from AIDS was a surprise to her when she found out and she didn't even know he was positive before he died.
@woogymodel You are assuming he contracted AIDS through unprotected sex (which unfortunately was mostly happening to the homosexual community). That story is unconfirmed and no one has ever stepped forward and said they dated him or knew him as being gay. The other story (also unconfirmed) is that he contracted AIDS from sharing needles. It seems with what people are alluding to in this piece about their time with him is that he was a drug user & that caused him to get that terrible disease.
Nice that Jami Gertz says all these nice things about this wonderful guy, then adds "I guess I didn't really know him" - sounds like a slam on his getting HIV - not nice.
I love how a show that barely lasted a year has all this commentary....the show sucked, never understood why it so critically acclaimed, my grade school plays were funnier and more sophisticated.
I was a student at CalArts at the same time Merritt was there. Like me and many other students, he'd hang out naked at the dormitory pool. He was a golden boy, flawlessly beautiful, and I was so jealous of him. He seemed to have it all together, but we never know what people are going through. I'm so sorry for his tragic fate. Thanks.
I remember he was one of my earliest "crushes". I loved him in the Star Trek films. It's such a shame...He was so young. :-/
He was cool and awesome
He was a beautiful man
Very touching and loving tribute.❤
I just googled Merritt's name while watching "Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan" where Merritt was Captain Kirk's illegitimate son. This was a very nice, heartfelt tribute to an obviously much liked guy who died way too young. I was living with a girl I truly loved who loved "Square Pegs" and watched it every chance she had. It's weird how one person would describe him as troubled and others call him a warm, funny, free spirit. AIDS was and is a terrible disease too many Americans have forgotten.
well , ill miss this guy terribly. I love his role in this show and he seemed to indirectly have been a role model for myself and a few other kids floating around school in our times ( it was all about that cool braid with the babies on it !!)
i wish that he could see our world today i imagine he would have fascinating things to contribute to it, and give to us
I'm not assuming anything - we will never know how he contracted HIV, it could have been from sex (straight or gay), drug abuse, or even unclean medical practices. The guy deserves our sympathy for being one of the victims of AIDS.
"Too old"? Virtually every movie or TV show I've ever seen with high school characters casts actors in their early to mid twenties, sometimes older!
So true, but he was the only high schooler with a receding hairline and a bald spot.. What worked was he was so lovable, and great in the role, it totally didn't matter..totally..😅
Yes because none of these people are his family or friends, they were just his coworkers for about 8 months. Imagine if you worked at a job for 8 months and then you died, and then 25 years later they interviewed all of your coworkers, asking them what they remembered about you.
Yeah and they were actually teens, whereas he was actually already an adult, so they probably didn’t have that much in common with him.
I get the feeling that none of these people really knew him b/c they don't really talk about him as a person, they just all seem to recall superficial things like driving to work with him, or speak about how he was as an actor, but no one is really recalling anything about him sharing his feelings or personal experiences with them.
That is a sad reality of life really, a lot of people might not really know you!
Miss Merritt Butrick! See you in Heaven my friend!!
I remember watching this show.
@stargazerlily86 He didn't seem to be aware that he had AIDs until less than a year before his death. I think it was only months. Back then people died quickly whereas today you can have the illness for decades. He was only 29 (although for some reason Anne Beats thought he died at 25). I'm glad everyone talks about his great talent. Did you know he was forced to leave college because he was told he had no acting talent whatsoever and was wasting a spot at that school?
He was unlucky to get it at the time there were no anti virals yet.
thank you for posting!!!
Some of Merritt's roles are on RUclips. His guest appearance on 'Fame' (Equals). 'Death Spa'-the full movie. He was really good in both! The full movie 'Zapped.' He only appears briefly in the beginning. The full movie 'Shy People.' Unfortunately most scenes were so dark I couldn't keep track of his role. Good luck & enjoy!
RIP Anne Beatts
@christoJihad2 I think the "troubled" part was just Steven Peterman's recognition of Merritt's alleged drug abuse. The others were kids when they worked with him and didn't seem to catch the earmarks of someone using drugs. The actor who played the teacher caught on to what others only found out after he died. I think that is what he meant. You can be an addict and still be warm, funny and free spirited.
However he got AIDS, he didn't deserve it. No one does. We should've had a cure by now.
tartfuel I read it was unprotected sex not drugs.
Merritt is in the movie Fright Night II
I saw Merritt in ST2 & 3 and thought that he was HOT! When I saw him again years later on TNG, I thought that he was still HOT!
RIP Anne.
He played the lead bad guy in a really cool post-apocalyptic movie called "Wired To Kill".
NO BRACES...Season 1, Episode 6...science fair contest...Love Machine.
One certainly can't assume anything, but there were certain things about his demeanor that seemed stereotypically gay. Even if he was, it was nobody's business but his own. I guess some people can ger AIDS no matter how careful they think they are being. It is sad, may he Rest in Peace.
People were not practicing safe sex until the late 80s!
Or, maybe she thought she knew him well enough that he would've told her that he was HIV positive, but he didn't. That's what it kind of sounds like to me, like his death from AIDS was a surprise to her when she found out and she didn't even know he was positive before he died.
ilovebeinagirl My cousin died of AIDS. Back when people were really afraid to reveal their status for fear of losing family, friends, jobs, etc.
The heavy chick with braces turned out HOT 👍
No one is saying he doesn't.
He's fine and living as aliases.
Slash was "too old"? LaDonna was nearly 30!
Yes, I just read this!!!! They looked great, never would have guessed that both were the ages they were. RIP Johnny Slash🙏
@woogymodel You are assuming he contracted AIDS through unprotected sex (which unfortunately was mostly happening to the homosexual community). That story is unconfirmed and no one has ever stepped forward and said they dated him or knew him as being gay. The other story (also unconfirmed) is that he contracted AIDS from sharing needles. It seems with what people are alluding to in this piece about their time with him is that he was a drug user & that caused him to get that terrible disease.
too old? like Claudette Wells?
Nice that Jami Gertz says all these nice things about this wonderful guy, then adds "I guess I didn't really know him" - sounds like a slam on his getting HIV - not nice.
I love how a show that barely lasted a year has all this commentary....the show sucked, never understood why it so critically acclaimed, my grade school plays were funnier and more sophisticated.
Dakotaangel1 You weren’t around then, nor probably a square peg. Be off with you, soulless one! Haha
Maybe you just suck?