Numerology buffs might want to consider playing 0493 in the next spin of the lottery wheel. That's the number Tony Montana will be carrying on his back when he runs the 26-mile AIDS Marathon in Chicago this October.
Looking fit, trim and gleaming, Montana's in the best shape of his life as he pedals a bike 40 miles a day during the course of his training program to become another Forrest Gump. Montana's looking for sponsors in his quest, the proceeds (all tax-deductible: checks should be made out to National AIDS Marathon Training Program) of which go to AIDS Project Los Angeles.
In Chicago, Montana will be running in the memory of John C. Holmes. "I'd like everybody to give me their support," Montana says. "I'm not afraid of saying I was in the X-rated industry. I'm not afraid of saying I have HIV."
A recent incident made Montana curious about where some peoples' heads are. "I'm not going to mention names," Montana says, "but I ran into someone from the industry at DMV. I went to shake his hand, he backed off with this look of terror in his face. I used to consider this guy a friend of mine. To have someone like that move his hands away from me shows me how much ignorance is still in this industry. On the other hand, his brother would hug me like I'm a long-lost relative. There's a good and bad side to this."
On the good side, Montana's looking for donations in any amount and has pledge forms available for those who are interested in donating. Says Montana, "I ran into David Brett of Passion Pictures. I told him, 'For $250 you get a letter that you can frame and put on your wall.' Right away, he wrote out a check without question."
Montana said he got the idea of running in the race from AIDS marathon posters he saw hanging in his local bank. "I got to run in this thing," Montana told himself. "I went into the whole mechanics of it. I joined, I got my running number and now I'm registered.
"They have marathons in L.A., Chicago and Honolulu," Montana added, "and I'm training for the Chicago Marathon. They give you a six-month training program to get ready. I've been through fitness seminars, nutritionists - they have all these people who contribute their time to get you ready for this event. About 98 percent of the people who have been through this program have finished the marathon.
"Looking around, I see I'm already in better shape than half the people enrolled," Montana went on to say. "But I'm doing this not just to say I finished, but to really make a difference. You have to raise $2,600 just to be able to run. But I don't want to raise just $2,600. If I can raise $100,000, I want to do that. It's all going to AIDS research."
When we initially spoke to him, some of the people that had offered sponsorship to Montana were Joey Buttafuoco; Donald Jones, his boss (Montana now works for Jones Bros. Welding); David Brett from Passion Pictures; Michael Johnson from Filmco; Patrick Collins and Dion Giarrusso from Elegant Angel; and, of course, Laurie Holmes, who has "been there for me from the beginning.
"I'm going to have a T-shirt made which all the sponsors sign so that people will know who's behind me," Montana says. "I believe this will make the industry not so much look good, but show that we care."
Laurie Holmes says she and Tony are trying to get the whole adult industry behind this. "It's a good cause," she adds. "Especially running in the memory of John Holmes - we want to show that we've put a dent in the AIDS [epidemic] and we're trying to do something about it."
"The first time I went to one of these seminars, they ask you, 'What are your reasons for doing this?'" Montana recalls. "I said I was a retired X-rated actor and HIV-positive. The entire room went into a dead silence. Everyone turned around and looked at me, puzzled. This guy is HIV-positive and has a big smile on his face. It's one of those things. I'm getting nothing but healthier. For once in my life, I can say I'm 100 percent sober. That's what this is all about. I'm not going to let this disease end my life. I work 40 to 50 hours a week."
Montana says he shot a scene at Jones Bros. Welding one time with Charley Biggs, and that's how he became friends with Donald Jones, the owner. "Then, when I needed a job, when I came out positive, he offered me a job," Montana says. "I came out positive October 7. I had a job October 20. Donald Jones said as long as I want to work, I have a job with him. I've been given a full-time position with a lot of trust. It makes me feel good that somebody who didn't know me from nothing gave me employment when I needed it the most. Everybody would say, 'What can I help you with, Tony?' Well, money would be fine; a job would be okay, but I've never been one for, 'Can I have this, can I have that?'
"I can work for my money," Montana adds. "I do structural steel, and it's not easy work. I sweat my balls off every day. But it goes to show there is hope for others out there. It's a good feeling to know that there are people out there who are willing to give somebody a chance, especially someone who had my background.
"Most people have asked me, 'Has the adult industry helped you with anything since you got sick?'" Montana continued. "If it wasn't for Sharon Mitchell, I wouldn't have been with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. She cut through a bunch of red tape. Within 10 days, after I came out positive, they accepted me into a program. It's been 20 weeks since I've been with that program. Now I have to see them every two months, I'm doing that good. There are programs out there that will take anybody, but, at the same time, there are people out there who, instead of following the program to the letter, they still drink and do drugs. It makes it that much harder.
"The doctors have told me I've done in six months what it takes others to accomplish in two years. It makes me feel good to run into people who give me compliments, [say] that I look healthy.
"After this marathon, there's the Honolulu Marathon. I don't know where this is taking me, but maybe I'll make a difference. People want me to be a speaker. I was asked to be a speaker at the Youth Center for kids who are in trouble. You know me. I've had my share of trouble with the law, now they want me to be a speaker for them. Maybe some kid will say, 'This guy did all this, he broke every rule, every law, but look how he is now.' The way I talk is clear and simple. Drugs don't get you anywhere. Crime does not fucking pay.... It might pay for a little while, but it gets you at the end. In 1990 I got arrested and almost ended up in prison for the rest of my life, over a drug deal.
"If there are any fans out there who read AVN and want to help out, by all means," Montana says. "Channel 13 wants to do something on this. L.A. Weekly wants to do a story. The Spanish International Network wants to cover this to see how I'm training. I'm going to be the only guy in Chicago running with four different camera crews following him. People are going to be wondering, who is this guy? Why does he have so much media on the top of his head?"
To receive an official AIDS Marathon pledge form for Mr. Montana, please contact Mr. Ross at [email protected]
