If you’ve ever seen The Dick Van Dyke Show, you’ll be fascinated to hear that their TV son little Ritchie grew up to be a cross-dresser! The whole story is in this week’s Globe. 51 year old Larry Mathews, who played Ritchie Petrie, confesses he started wearing dresses when he was a teenager on Halloween and liked it too much to stop. He’s been happily married for twenty years to a woman who not only doesn’t mind him dressing up, but lends him her clothes! (They’re the SAME size!) He dresses in full drag for parties, clubs, and special events, but when he goes to work (at a video post production facility) he limits himself to pink polish (OPI‘s Strawberry Margarita) on toes and fingers and eye shadow. Larry can’t understand why society frowns on a man wearing a dress. “No one bats an eyelash if they see a woman in men’s clothes!”
Strom
The rainbow crowd will be saluting!
Anonymous
Big Deal – Who really cares!
Anonymous
I can’t believe that some people would actually post negative comments about this, but I guess those people are not normal. They are the ones who you should keep away from. Why would someone spend effort to spread hate? I guess that’s their way of getting attention, like a school yard bully does.
Dana
For those men who fear crossdressers are wierdos….Please do not wear womens clothes even for a moment, or you may become hooked as I have! I am straight, and normal, but when I dress up and go out–you regular guys make passes at me. I turn them down, and go home to my lady.
Jenny
Well he’s not a bank robber, wife beater or murderer so what’s the problem? What he does is harmless and nobody’s business and it’s really cool that his wife enjoys his feminine side.
Tina Dixon
You may wear female clothing but you got bigger ones than them tough guys by coming out to the world that your a crossdresser, I salute you.
Tina Dixon
You may wear female clothing but you got bigger ones than them tough guys by coming out to the world that your a crossdresser, I salute you.
David/Darlene
Did you know that over 15 million people (mostly male heterosexuals) are cross-dressers in the US alone. That is more than the entire military force of the US. Unlike bigotry, sexual harrassment, discrimination, alcoholism, drug abuse, shall I go on; cross-dressing hurts absolutely nobody! However, it scares many because they are not secure in who they are, again, unlike the cross-dresser. Speaking as a decorated military veteran of the Iraq war with over 15 years of honorable service; I am proud to have served my country, even a country who discriminates against me, a cross-dresser.
Sarah Lynn
What kind of society are we when we rip someone apart because of the clothes they wear? So what’s the big deal? It looks like there a lot of pathetic and ignorant people out there. people out there….
Barb Valentine
So what who is he/she hurting No one
If that’s how he/she wants to live good for her/him
CJ
This is what’s freakish: bashing someone who follows his or her bliss while being afraid (or ashamed)to follow our own.
Be truly alive: live and let live.
Kudos to you and your wife, Larry!
Marissa Cannon
if richy is ok with his / her crossdressing and the wife is too then let them enjoy it , it hurts nobody and there are a lot more crossdressers out there than any of us will ever know.. those i’ve met are amazing great people
don’t put crossdressing down till you try it .. there’s nothing wrong with wearing panties or dressing all the way
Sandy
There are a lot more crossdressers out there than you may think. Check the internet for some of them that are proud of it. Male-to-female and female-to male, makes no difference. There are thousands that are still hiding in the closets that no one knows about, I’m sure.
I’m very proud to be within this elite group of gifted individuals that can dress as they want.
Joy B Carter
Who here has the courage to admitt they are differant ?
Richy will do fine because he knows who he is and is comfortable with it. How many of you can do that ?
Joy B Carter
Who here has the courage to admitt they are differant ?
Richy will do fine because he knows who he is and is comfortable with it. How many of you can do that ?
Linnea
Crossdressing hurts no one and gives a lot of people a great deal of pleasure. “Ritchie” is apparently one of those people. Many men and women, it seems, feel uncomfortable about the topic of male-to-female crossdressing, yet it is as harmless as a woman wearing a tie or a pair of slacks (i.e., traditional male garb).
Cheers to Larry!
stephanie
They more people protest and decry someone the more likely thet are that way themselves. dont knock it til you try it you may like it.
stephanie
They more people protest and decry someone the more likely thet are that way themselves. dont knock it til you try it you may like it.
stephanie
They more people protest and decry someone the more likely thet are that way themselves. dont knock it til you try it you may like it.
Emily Ann Brown
Takes real guts to admit when you are not society’s perfect role model. I tip my summer straw garden hat to you !!!
Kira
It is easy to take what the world sees as “freakish” and call it abnormal. How many of you that bashed this man have hidden pleasures that your friends do not know about? Why do they not know you have them? Because you are worried they will call you a freak, right?
The truth is anyone truly in touch with his/herself (no pun intended) has done someone beyond what is basic. Whether you liked his character on the show means nothing, he was a kid!!! As for his wife being okay with it, that is THEIR marriage, he did not ask any of you for anything.
You cannot even call crossdressing unconventional, especially if 5-7% of the US male population does it.
Let he/her who has no different taste throw the first stone.
Charlene
Mary is so hot even at her age. I want to grow up to be just like her.
It takes a real man to be a woman…..
SilverLady(SO)
Kudos to Larry Matthews and his wife for being able to share in this wonderful gift! I invite them to join a CD forum, where love abounds!
Shame on those who criticize that which they know absolutely nothing about!! Are you doing so out of fear that you may be CD, too, and have been repressing it, suppressing it, or ignoring it?!? Why? Being CD is a wonderful gift – for both yourself and your wife or girlfriend!!
Did you know that about 5-7% of the male population in the US are crossdressers, they are heterosexuals, and most are married and have families?
How many of you ‘guys’ have *ever* dressed up as a woman for Halloween, and why did you choose that outfit when you could have chosen something else? How many of you ‘guys’ have ever worn your wife’s or GF’s panties while making love (even if on a dare) but are afraid to admit that you enjoyed wearing them?!? Maybe you are a closet CD and afraid to face the truth?!?
All it takes is 1 time, folks, so think about that before you start CD-bashing!!
– SL
Karren Hutton
Ata Girl Sister!!! Takes a real man to wear a skirt!!!
Love Karren
mich
Leave him alone. If it makes him happy…
bunni luv
OMG! mary t. moore has nevr looked more beautiful. talk about morphing….
Anonymous
Hot chicks look sexy in boxers, mens dress shirts, mens pajamas, etc..
So I am guessing women think men look cute in women’s clothes…?
Anonymous
Ohhhhh, it feels soooo good when the filmy skirt rubs against my nylon-encased upper thighs.
Lambast males for wearing girly clothes ONLY when you females cease wearing male clothes.
Belissa
This is a great story! I like Anonymous’s post about the pink nail polish with the big, hairy hands.
Why are people anonymous on this board? Are you so famous you need to protect your reputations?
Anonymous
OMIGOD!
We all care about has been TV stars in dresses, janet.
Sad, so sad.
Maybe you can cut and paste Perez or D-List for some real news, no?
Unf’ingbelievable.
haskell
He is probably most happy when he is getting a long hard one up the keister….what a weirdo!
Anonymous
I’m glad his wife is supportive. He sounds happy!
Anonymous
Does Larry call himself Dyke Van Dick now?
Lettuce Prey
I never could stand this brat. Seriously. I LOVED Rob n’ Laura and the rest of the cast, actually. I never figured out why they chose him. So NOT part of the talent.
This doesn’t surprise me.
grimreaper
ROB AND LAURA PETRIE’S LITTLE BOY WEARS MINISKIRTS NOW….AND….JANET CHARLTON ALWAYS WEARS GLOVES TO HIDE HER AGE
blondie
whatever floats his boat !! He isn’t hurting anyone !!
Margo Channing
Good for him.
He isn’t hurting anyone and he’s just expressing himself.
We should all be so open.
Kudos to Anonymous May 23, 2007 6:21 PM
Anonymous
He must look so attractive when he dresses in women’s clothing,
makeup and pink nail polish with
those big hairy hands of his.
Thank goodness my husband isn’t into this. Hmmm, better check my underwear drawer.
Anonymous
Mary and Dick must be so proud!
Anonymous
No wonder they call it Hollyweird.
Never could stand that kid. He always “yelled” his lines instead of speaking them.
Anonymous
Hey those Scottish guys go in drag alot too, blowing those bag pipes.
And wearing a funny hat with a white fur button on top.
Anonymous
A lot of people don’t believe it, but most cross-dressers are hetero. Eddie Izzard is my favorite. He says cross-dressing is equal rights! People don’t say anything when a woman wears her man’s boxers or shirts, but freak out when a man wants to wear women’s clothing. As long as he looks good in them, I don’t care! Some men would improve their look by dressing like women! LOL!
Anonymous
What a freak!
TV
So THAT’S what happened to him.