Today's Out Spotlight is an Austin icon. and an (honorary)favorite son of the city. A local celebrity who is a peace activist, advocate for the homeless, outspoken critic of the police, and former mayoral candidate. A cross-dressing, eccentric and by all accounts highly intelligent, he is a street person by choice. Doing his own thing his own way, keeping Austin weird, today's Out Spotlight is Leslie Cochran.
Leslie Cochran was born as Albert Leslie Cochran on June 24, 1951
in Miami Florida. He is the third of six children (3 boys and 3 girls)to Albert and Enid Atwater Cochran. He is the oldest boy in a family and born an identical twin whose brother died at birth. Growing up in Miami, he always spoke with a strong stutter, something he dealt with throughout childhood and early adulthood.
After high school, he attended the University of Florida-Tallahassee for two years, and joined the U.S. Navy for a couple more.
Going off to do his thing he found a good job in the Pacific Northwest as a manager in a warehouse and well as working for Safeway, and was a truck driver traveling up and down the West Coast.
In his early 30s, Albert was riding his motorcycle in Steamboat Springs, Co., where he was working as a DJ, when he hit a deer head-on.
"The deer’s head was split in half, he hit that deer so hard. He was unconscious for at least a month, maybe a little more, before he came out the coma," his sister recalled "When he came out of the coma, he could speak – his stuttering was gone. After that accident, he never stuttered again.
While he he lost the stutter, other things changed because of the accident. It triggered him to begin living on the streets bouncing around between Shreveport, Louisiana, Tampa, Florida, and Atlanta, sometimes living in a converted bookmobile. It was during this time when Leslie and his desire to cross dress emerged. Leslie began living on the kindness of strangers, collecting food and money. He was able to occasionally rent a car and pay for a cell phone to stay in touch with family. And when he had more than he needed, he'd pass it on to those who could use it. He then took a year to ride a three-wheeled bicycle to Austin in January 1996. In an interview withthe Austin American-Statesman that he disclosed was briefly married in 1985 and 1986.
Leslie is usually found near 6th Street, usually around 6th and Congress during business hours. Most frequently seen crossing Congress St in high heels, with his most popular attire a leopard thong and heels. Leslie is often seen around the streets of Austin wearing lacy bras, glittering thongs, carrying signs advocating homeless rights and bicycling around town wearing almost nothing. While preferring to wear women's clothes he prefers to be known as a man.For his appearance on Jay Leno, in which he was interviewed as one of Austin's many characters, he was wearing a thong - on national television.
Leslie has run for mayor of Austin three times, most recently in 2003.
His family say that while they don't exactly agree with his choices, they've learned to accept him and support him.
His sister said "they've never been alerted to any mental illnesses - that his eccentricity was probably a factor of high intelligence, fierce independence, and that life-changing accident in Steamboat Springs. 'A lot of street people, kind of because they want to .... they just live on the street. And it’s a free country.' "
Around 1:00 a.m. on the Saturday morning of October 3, 2009, Leslie was found outdoors in a vegetative state and was transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge in critical condition.The City of Austin rallied around Leslie as he recovered from brain surgery needed after the accident. In the days after the accident rumors of his impending death led to street vigils and benefits in Austin and support across the Internet.
Within two weeks he had regained consciousness and was transferred to a rehabilitation center. When he was released, on October 23, 2009, Cochran reported that he had been attacked after commenting to a group of people about the dangers of drug abuse.
In 2009, Costa Systems created the "iLeslie" iPhone application. The application contains an assortment of sound bites by Leslie; as well two longer interviews with Leslie where he recounts select experiences in Austin. Half of all profits go to Leslie. The Apple iTunes App Store sells the "iLeslie" app.
Leslie also has his own with his own magnetic “dress me” Leslie dolls! Outfit include a Longhorn cheerleader outfit and a Naughty and Nice holiday edition.Austin embraces Leslie as the eccentric, highly unique person he is. Leslie is hands-down Austin's most recognizable character.
Protesting bad policemen of the Austin Police department.
Selling the Leslie Magnets
"Leslie Cochran" first interview after being released from hospital. Filmed on Newton Street in South Austin by George Sarris