EDMUND WHITE ON FAME

Fame might be the best aphrodisiac but I wasn't famous enough to excite anyone except the rare individual. Where I was younger and less celebrated I had more success. Youth boosts the appeal of even quite mediocre fame. In any event it's women who are more susceptible to the lure of power and money. Men like youth and beauty. Straight men might envy or compete with male sucesss but gay men seek out trophy boys».