- Josh Kilmer-Purcell (birthname: Joshua Gordon Kilmer) was born in Albany, New York, and raised in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin during his early childhood. He attended high school in Mansfield, Massachusetts, going on to Michigan State University, where he studied creative writing with the poet Diane Wakoski, graduating with a BA in English Literature in 1991. He added his stepfather's surname "Purcell" in 1990. He met partner, now fiancé, Dr. Brent Ridge in New York City in 2000.
Kilmer-Purcell has worked at several Manhattan advertising agencies, including Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners (now known as KBS+); Merkley, Newman, Harty (now known as Merkley+Partners); TBWA\Chiat\Day; SS+K; and JWT. Most speculation regarding the events in "I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir," was that those events took place while he was working at Merkley Newman Harty.
In addition to the memoir "I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir," (2006), Kilmer-Purcell has written or co-written three other books, including second memoir "Hardcover: The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir (2010); a novel, "Candy Everybody Wants" (2008); and a cookbook, "The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook" (2011, with co-authors Brent Ridge and Sandy Gluck). All four books have appeared on bestseller lists.
In 2008 Kilmer-Purcell and his partner launched Beekman 1802, a green lifestyle company inspired by their farm in Sharon Springs, New York.- IMDb Mini Biography By: trivwhiz
- Beginning in 2006 he began writing a monthly urban lifestyle column for the national gay lifestyle magazine, Out. He has also contributed to other news and media organizations, including The Advocate Magazine and National Public Radio.
- Is openly gay, and his partner, Dr. Brent Ridge, a physician at Mount Sinai Hospital who was formerly the vice president of healthy living at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, have been together since 2000. They announced their engagement to be married, under the newly passed and implemented New York State Marriage Equality Act, in December 2011.
- Has occasionally performed comedy drag, as his alter ego "Aqua" (short for "Aquadisiac"), at night spots in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Tokyo. Aqua was best known for use of live goldfish in the transparent breast cups of the costumes worn while performing. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent Kilmer-Purcell a letter of protest, condemning the use of live animals in the shows.
- Along with his life partner/fiancé, Dr. Brent Ridge, won The Amazing Race (2001) 21, broadcast on Sunday, December 9, 2012. Their announced plans are to use the prize money to pay off the mortgage on their farm so that Brent does not have to spend weekdays working in the city anymore, and they can spend all of their time together and running their Beekman 1802 farm and business.
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