Ac-cent-tchu-ate the SEX POSITIVE!

In the summer of 1977, David Richard Berkowitz terrorized New York City. Known also as The Son of Sam, he killed six people and wounded seven others. He claimed he was part of a sadistic cult and that he took his lethal orders from a neighbor’s dog. 

Years later, New York was haunted by another killer, this one far deadlier, AIDS. Richard Berkowitz, unrelated, didn’t take orders, he shouted them at his clients, earning a “healthy” living as an S&M hustler. But seeing his friends die around him provoked a more sensitive and sensible response. David became the most vocal and, most likely, the first active proponent of “safe sex.” In 1983, Richard published How To Have Sex In an Epidemic: One Approach. He co-authored the pamphlet with Michael Callen, Richard Dworkin and Joseph Sonnabend, MD, but it was Richard who remained the greatest advocate of condom usage despite the gay community’s virulent backlash and hypocritical accusations. (Callen and Dworkin focused their energies on more charitable, community-building efforts and Dr. Sonnabend continued to develop his mutifactorial model of the disease.)

SEX POSITIVE is a sometimes shocking portrait of Berkowitz and his boat-rocking past. Directed with a respectful intimacy and remarkable audacity by 25-year-old Daryl Wein, the film reveals Berkowitz as a hero of his generation, but one with enough flaws to defy worship. Richard is a complicated man whose conviction may have save thousands of lives yet cost him his own. SEX POSITIVE is smart, surprising movie-making, reflecting humanity in all of its glorious ambiguities. 

In honor of Richard Berkowitz — and with apologies to Johnny Mercer — remember this lyrical plea: You’ve got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the SEX POSITIVE. Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative. Don’t mess with Mister Not-so-clean.

To watch the SEX POSITIVE trailer, click here. To watch a preview of The Warren Report‘s special episode about sex addiction, Do Me, click here.