Brudnoy's last broadcast: David Brudnoy's successful radio career was an unlikely mix of quiet conversation and strong political convictions.

As one of the nation's first prominent gay conservatives, Boston radio talk-show host David Brudnoy defied convention. He was known for a crisp wit and quiet conversational style in an era of loudmouth shock jocks, but even more so for having the courage to publicly discuss his battle with AIDS.

Brudnoy, who based his radio show at legendary news-talk station WBZAM, died in Boston on December 9 of the rare skin cancer Merkel cell carcinoma. (The illness was not officially related to his AIDS diagnosis.) He was 64. In typical Brudnoy style, the day before he died he announced on the air that he had accepted his mortality, telling his listeners, "I am absolutely ready."

Brudnoy began his talk-radio career at WHDH-AM in Boston in 1976, then went to WRKO-AM in 1981 before moving in 1986 to WBZ, whose strong signal allowed him to reach listeners in 38 states. After he nearly died of a viral infection in 1994, he revealed both that he was gay and had AIDS. In his 1997 memoir, Life Is Not a Rehearsal, he detailed his fight with the disease.

Brudnoy's fans included a number of prominent community leaders and powerful Massachusetts lawmakers as diverse as U.S. senator Edward Kennedy and Gov. Mitt Romney. And through the years his show touched almost every topic, including politics, current events, and the arts.

Although he always remained true to his political leanings, a rift with an increasingly socially conservative Republican Party led Brudnoy to abandon the GOP in 1998 and become a Libertarian. Regardless of that switch or perhaps because of it, he endeared himself to many other gay conservatives.

"As a nationally respected gay conservative, David's life, work, and political philosophy remains an inspiration to thousands of [gay and lesbian conservatives] across America," says Patrick Guerriero, executive director of the gay political group Log Cabin Republicans and a Massachusetts native.