Customer Reviews

I Had to Say Something: The Art of Ted Haggard's Fall

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

When Mike Jones exposed the hypocrisy of Ted Haggard last fall, I had hoped that he would write a book about his three year "relationship" with the fallen evangelist, because the media never tells the full story, and the stuff they do tell is often inaccurate and/or incomplete. Of course, this is Mike Jones' side of the story and from what I've read, Haggard won't be writing his memoirs anytime soon, but even if he did, it would be suspect to begin with because he has every reason to lie and minimize the damage.

However, Mike Jones reveals a lot of courage in what he writes about in this book. From being bullied by his older brother, which prompts him into taking weightlifting classes in high school, to the time when he first realized he could make money from his hard physique, it's hard not to root for the guy. Though he writes a little too much about all the tears he shed over the years, it is nice to know that beneath that rock hard exterior lies a true and sensitive soul. It reveals something about our society in which married men in high positions (pro-sports, business, the clergy, and political office) are willing to part with $200 an hour to be authentic with him in ways they can't be with their wives or girlfriends.

It's a good read, heartwarming, and an inspiration, even. We should all be happy and grateful for what he has done, to expose hypocrisy of the worst type: religious piousness. Jesus would be very proud of this man!

This is very well written. I could not put the book down. Also Mike is to be admired for having the courage to reveal the hypocrisy of Ted Haggard. He also allows the public to see the human side of being a homosexual in America. Too many stereo types exist, he helps to understand how one man lives his life as a gay man. It was a refreshing book. Thank you Mike for being honest and sharing the story.

I'm not much of a book reviewer, but after reading this book, I had to say something. My life has been full of Arts and Teds, all married with children. Over the years I became friends with many of these men. I tried to give them an understanding of what they considered "the dark side" of their sexual life. Mr. Jones has been doing this all his life. Ted was fighting this all his life. During the day Ted preached against sexual immorality, but at night he disappeared into its shadow. This is hypocrisy. This book is truthful and wonderfully written. I enjoyed the book so much that I read it in two days.

OK, I stole the above quote from Jackie Collins, who told me it came from a review of one of her novels.

I have to confess that I bought Mike Jones's memoir expecting a fun, tawdry read. I was surprised by his depth of insight and articulateness, although I almost drowned in the tsunami of tears he sheds in the text, which is literally, as they used to call maudlin movies, a hankie-soaker.

"I Had to Say Something" was so absorbing it deserves the cliches "I couldn't put it down" and "a real page-turner."

Shameless self-promotion: As someone who literally wrote the book on gays and methamphetamine, "Tweakers: How Crystal Meth Is Ravaging Gay America" (Alyson, 2005), I offer a possible explanation for Haggard's continuing inexplicable behavior, like reviewing Jones's book on Amazon. Crystal makes you do crazy things.

A sad postscript to Mike and Ted's Excellent Misadventure: While researching two books I wrote about substance abuse, I interviewed Dr. Thomas Newton, the former head of UCLA's Substance Abuse Inpatient Services at the university's Neuropsychiatric Institute. Professor Newton told me, "Once somebody gets into crystal, they're just going to go down the toilet," an accurate description of where Haggard and his ministry ended up.

Worse, other addictionologists told me that methamphetamine is even more addictive than heroin. Like all addictions, crystal use is a progressive disease, which means it only gets worse and doesn't improve or remit spontaneously. Only professional treatment or self-help groups, optimally both, will force the disease into remission and turn it into chronic but treatable condition.

Without intervention, Haggard's use of crystal will increase, along with his self-sabotaging behavior, like lying to his Church elders about his purchases of methamphetamine, then giving an impromptu press conference in his driveway with the wife and kids in the car during which he pulled a classic Clintonism and said he bought meth but didn't use it. Before the ambush interview in the family car, his church was willing to forgive and take him back after he lied and denied any involvement with illicit drugs. After his interview aired and contradicted what he had told church elders, they made his expulsion permanent. He became such an embarrassment and pariah that the church paid him to move out of Colorado.

I haven't read anywhere that Haggard has gone into rehab. If he hasn't, we can expect many more sequels to his excellent misadventures but without his original co-star, Mike Jones.

Proof of the intractability of treating addiction comes from Jimmy Swaggart's failure to end his addiction to sex. After his "sins" were exposed, and he confessed in his church shedding more tears than Jones does in his book, Swaggart was caught trawling the same red light district that had gotten him in his original predicament. That's what a progressive disease without treatment does.

Most mystifying behavior has a drug or alcoholic component. Buried far down in a news story about the perpetrator of a particularly ghastly crime, like the father who plucked out his son's eyeball, sauteed and then ate it, there's a throwaway line or two to the effect, "Oh, yeah, and the murderer had drunk two bottles of Jack Daniels and hadn't slept in two weeks while on a crystal, crack, or Benzedrine binge." Despite the library's worth of biographies that attempt to explain Hitler's madness, it's rarely mentioned that he received injections of morphine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, steroids 4-5 times daily from his quack physician. World War II may have represented nothing more complicated than a five-year-long bad drug trip.

Something for Haggard to ponder and avoid.

This is an unsubstantiated guess, but I suspect that Mike Jones's polygraphy test indicated he was being "deceptive" because he lied when asked if he had ever used meth with Haggard or lied about some other revelation, however embarrassing, that nevertheless doesn't invalidate the truthfulness of the rest of his revelations. Or maybe he lied about not adding a "finder's fee" for the drugs he supplied his client with.

Whistle-blower and drug dealer make strange bedfellows. The double hat Jones might have worn slightly diminish his heroism and courage in exposing a homophobic homosexual with the power to shame impressionable young minds. But prostitute and drug peddler don't automatically equal liar.

Frank Sanello

This goes to show how judgmental we all can be. I bought this book thinking this guy (Mike Jones) was just a shallow, spiteful person and that anyone who would prostitute himself and knowingly accept money for sex from married men had no morals. I had never heard of Ted Haggard.

But a couple of pages into the narrative I immediately knew that Mike Jones was a kind, sensitive soul who would never intentionally hurt anyone.

As I continued to read, the depth of his personality shone through with such conviction. He never skirted around any issue and it is clearly evident to me that Mike was himself a victim of not only hypocrisy but of men who choose to use men like himself for their own pleasure without thinking of the consequences.

He makes you empathize with himself and with Pastor Haggard (who I pray has come to terms with himself for his sake as well as the sake of his family....especially his five children).

Mike Jones bares his emotions so vividly that any misconception I had about him were resolved. The narrative about his dealing with his mother's illness and death is particularly compelling and poignant. I may not agree with what he chose to do in his life to make a living but that's not for me to judge. That is between him and God. All I can say is that in recounting his experience he demonstrates that we are all hippocrites to some extent or another. We are all sinners. None of us will get out of this life unscathed. He made me appreciate the gifts that we all have to offer to one another and to make the most out of what has been given to us and never to take anything for granted.

I hope and pray that Mike Jones has found happiness and rebuilt his life and I applaud him for the courage it took to tell his story. God Bless him because there but for the grace of God go I.....

Once I started reading the book, I knew I wouldn't put it down until I had finished it. OK, so I did take a couple days but on the bus, on the train, even during meals, I'd find the book in hand and the world shut out. The writing style is easy and blunt. If you can't handle the truth, or think you know it... READ THIS BOOK with an open mind. My mother always told me "The truth hurts, but it will set you free." Mike is indeed telling the truth and hopefully setting people free with his story. THANK YOU Mike Jones! I enjoyed the hours of friendly conversation, intimate stories, sexual descriptions, and tears we shed together as I read "I Had To Say Something." I will read it again.



Though the main focus of this book is about the hypocrisy of a mega-leader in organized religion, it is so much more. Mike let's the reader into his life, growing up in Colorado, being raised by his great-grandmother, and learning at an early age the importance of human touch and intimacy. I too knew several of my great-grandparents and had a large extended loving family. I too was the middle child of three boys. I too was more of a "mama's boy." And I am proud to say, I too am a Gay.



HYPOCRACY, yes it needs to be exposed! But here Mike also makes points to the need, desire, and lack of INTIMACY in our personal relationships, in society, with friends and loved ones. Sex is merely the "icing on the cake" and not an essential part of being intimate with another person.



I have known Mike Jones for many years, first as a massage client and now as friend. As an obese child and adult I have heard all the hateful things people say and don't say. The looks and gestures speak very clearly as people can be so cruel. As a Gay Man, I have seen all the hypocrisy, hatred, and struggles associated with being Gay, it is who I am and not a choice as so many falsely believe.

"Ignorance is bliss..." NO - ignorance is just ignorance.



I have purchased several copies of the book and besides giving one to my brothers, and a family-cousin, several of my friends will also get them. Even my staunch republicans who aren't on the wagon for Equal Rights will get a copy and I'll quiz them to see if they indeed read it later.



Since breaking the story about this Mega "Christian", I have been appalled at the death threats and ignorance directed at Mike. Christians need to remember that Jesus was born a Jew, never married even as first born of a Jewish family, allowed a "whore" to bathe him, and roamed the countryside with 12 other MEN (all in sandals I might add...). And in the New Testament you will not find ANY scriptural reference to Jesus even talking about Homosexual acts. In fact, you will read how he called a few of his MALE followers his "Beloved" and many times kissing them as well... WHAT else went on? We shall never truly know...



Gore Vidal - "Since heterosexual marriage is such a disaster, why on earth would anybody want to imitate it?"

I read Mike Jones' book with curiosity, and wanted to give him a fair hearing. As an evangelical, it's always embarrassing when something scandalous happens, but it can be for the better of all. Although I'm philosophically in disagreement with Mike Jones on some matters, if a prominent pastor/evangelist is using your tithe money to do meth and licking another man's nuts, wouldn't you want to know? Of course! The book should have had a few photographs of the persons involved, but all in all a fair read.

Mike Jones is a hero to all justice-loving people around the world. His story is candid and captivating. He offers no apologies for who he is and he demonstrates the kind of bravery our country needs. I admire him tremendously for stepping forward and exposing the hypocrisy of Ted Haggard.

If we had a nation that valued difference instead of condemning it, people would be free to live their lives in accordance with their true selves, instead of creating wildly fabricated double lives that ultimately hurt everyone.

I'm glad you said something.

I picked this book up in the midst of the George Reekers scandal - curious about the "Christian leader hires male prostitute" trend we seem to be seeing. This book is exactly what you would expect from someone capitalizing on the 15 minutes of fame he gained by blowing the whistle on an influential religious and political leader.

It's terrible.

Reading this book is like reading a pre-teen's diary. It's inconsistent and self-serving. Overly dramatic. Whiny.

I don't doubt the truth in what Jones says (or at least in most of what Jones says), but this "truth" is overshadowed by the inconsistent way he presents himself - both hero and victim. You can't brag about the loyalty you afford your "clients" and then call the media to expose them when the time is ripe. You can't claim to be a safe place for religious leaders, politicians, and military leaders to explore their sexuality and then call them hypocrites when they use your services.

Also, the details Jones presents about his meetings with Haggard are way too vivid (not "explicit"... vivid). Nobody remembers this much detail about conversations, facial expressions, body language, and emotions several years after the fact. During his meetings with Jones, Ted/Art was just another client - not extraordinary at all. There is no way Mike Jones remembers so much many revealing details from his encounters with this (at the time) un-extraordinary client, who was only one of many. Telling the story with this much detail makes it sound like it's trying too hard to be true - like an employee telling his boss too much about his phlegm when he calls in sick on a sunny summer day.

"I Had to Say Something" disguises itself as rallying call in the fight for marriage equality and equal rights for the LGBT community. Underneath, however, this book is really just a middle-aged man crying out, "look at me."

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I am glad that Mike had the courage to call Ted Haggard out on his hypocrisy! I think most gay men would have just looked the other way and have not wanted to bother with all the scrutiny that came along with going public with the story. Sadly, Mike did not have a very good support system - the people who should have been there the most for him had turned their back - the gay community of Denver! As a gay man from North Dakota - I have to say - I have been in my own situation that was in some ways similar to Mike's - and the gay community did not stand behind me either. Gay men are usually competitive with each other and are VERY JEALOUS of each other - I think in Mike's case - the gay community were not supportive towards him because they were jealous that he was getting a lot of media attention and had the misconception that he was making a lot of money from going public - which was not the case.
I applaud Mike for staying strong and telling the truth and exposing a hypocrisy that needs to be exposed! Ted Haggard has caused a lot of pain to many and preached HATE towards the gay community during his whole career - if this story was not brought public - he would continue his hypocrisy of lies and deceit. I had no problem with someone either being an escort or using their services - but when they use their services and then turn around and talk about the "evils" of gay men - guys like Ted need to be called out. I also want to comment on Ted's wife, Gayle. It is my understanding she wrote a book called "Why I Stayed" - Gayle - the ONLY reason you "stayed" - is because you knew about your bisexual husband all along and what he was doing - the ONLY REASON YOU STAYED - was because you had become accustomed to the life of fancy cars and nice homes and did not want to give that up. I am sure you only cared after your husband was caught!