The It Gets Better Project III

I was searching around for shirtless pictures of Kyle Dean Massey - for a Yahoo group that I run called Male Stars Shirtless, 836 Members strong - and came across his It Gets Better video. It's one of the better ones I've seen.

Kyle Dean Massey's It Gets Better Video



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Here is my other recent favorite video for the It Gets Better Project from someone named Billy Nilles - mainly because he's cute.




I saw Billy Nilles as part of the new commercial for Google Chrome...



I tear up every time I see it.

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Here are my two earlier posts about the It Gets Better Project.

Post Scrips

Here are updates to some of my past posts.

In my post Top 10 Artists: Badfinger, I mentioned my friend Kyle. This past Thursday, he called me. Besides a few brief conversations about four years ago, I hadn't really spoken to him in at least 10 years.

He called to tell me that his step-dad, the one who along with his mom raised him from an early teenager, had died on Monday (June 6th). After further questioning, Kyle told me that he had actually killed himself, one day after his 62nd birthday, apparently distraught about money issues.

I attended the visitation Thursday afternoon.

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In my post List: Top 5 Classic Rock Bands, I discussed Rush in detail. I have seen them live once before, in 1988 in Shreveport. Last night, Amy, Carlos, Debbie, Lloyd, Morgan, Steve, and I saw them live for their Time Machine tour, one of the highlights being that they played their 1980 album Moving Pictures in it's entirety.

Thursday night, the night before the concert, Carlos, Debbie and I watched Rush: R30, 30th Anniversary Concert - all the while blind taste testing Canadian beer, in honor of Rush's home country.

Carlos and I both picked Labat Blue as our least favorite. (Debbie came too late for the taste testing.) He picked Molson Canadian as his favorite; I picked Moosehead as mine. Truthfully, all three really tasted the same.

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In my post Judgment Day, I mentioned in passing my current Favorite TV Show Ever (This Week) Supernatural.

I first discovered the show while the TNT network was running season four. I have now seen all of seasons four, five and one - with the TNT network starting over the showings after season five. The show is currently in its 6th season on the CW network. I am watching the new episodes too. I have a big gap in the middle of the series, having never seen any of season three and only at the beginning of season two via TNT.

As I did with my other Favorite TV Shows Ever (This Week) Criminal Minds and Ninja Warrior, I have printed out a complete episode list and am crossing them off after viewing.

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Postscript to the above postscript:

When Morgan came over Friday night to pick Carlos and I up, I was watching an episode of Supernatural. His reaction was, "Oh, isn't that the show with that guy that used to be on Gilmore Girls." True, but not the connection that I expected from one of my straight friends. I guess Gilmore Girls is just that good of a show. (More on that TV show another day.)

Paolo Nutini Revisited

Remember Paolo Nutini from this post?

Here's an updated picture of him. Too bad.

Ryan Kwanten: GQ Australia's Man of the Year

Ryan Kwanten is GQ Australia's Man of the Year.


Thanks to Carlos, I read the US version of GQ. Maybe I should start picking up the Australian version.





Here is my favorite picture of him.


For those who don't know who he is, here's his IMDB page.

Katy Perry

Carlos calls Katy Perry the poor man's Zooey Deschanel.

Well, call me a poor man. I don't like a lot of current music, but I really like her.

My favorite song of hers is Hot N Cold. Bonus: The hot guy in the video. (His name is Alexander Rodriguez.)



Here is a link to the original video. ("Embedding disabled by request.")

I was thinking of all this today because I found this video - her singing a version of the song with Elmo on Sesame Street.



Want more shirtless pictures of Alex Rodriguez - this one, not the baseball player? See my other blog.

Things NOT To Ask A Gay Guy

I read Davey Wavey's blog mainly because he does all his video posts shirtless. (Yes, I am shallow.)

He does have some insightful posts though. He discusses "Things NOT to ask a gay guy" in the below video blog entry. (He calls them talky blogs.)

For the lazy/curious, here are the questions. You'll have to watch the video (NSFW - language) for his answers.

1. "Who's the woman in your relationship?"
2. "I know you like guys. Are you attracted to me?"
3. "When did you decide to be gay?"
4. "Aren't you worried about AIDS?"
5. "How do you know if you're gay if you've never slept with a woman?"

Ho, Ho, Ho!!! Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

From top down -
Justin Timberlake
Jake Gyllenhaal
Eric Winter
Austin Drage
Anton Antipov
Slavco Tuskaloski
Ryan Phillippe (my favorite of this group)
Ryan LeBar
Phillip Olivier
Lee Ryan
Timothy Olyphant














For those interested, join my Male Stars Shirtless Yahoo Group.

Top Male Stars of All Time - Part II

I have that neat little device called FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed that lists which web site each hit comes from, which site the person leaves to, and which specific blog page the person initially enters.

My friend Debbie obsesses about that information.

My friend Jason mentioned it in one of his entries, but I can’t find the specific entry right now. (Jason – Link please?)

Invariably, the specific page that draws my visitors (right now, 6 of the current 10 listings) is Top Ten Favorite Male Stars of All Time, usually from a Google image search.

Since that page is so popular, I thought I would revisit it. Then round out my Top Twenty.

Recap of the Top Ten:
1. James Duval
2. Stephane Rideau
3. Ryan Phillippe
4. Tommy Kirk
5. River Phoenix
6. William McNamara
7. Kevin Zegers
8. Ethan Embry
9. Steve Antin
10. Peter Facinelli

The Top Ten List has remained constant over the years. The rest of the list, leading to #20, does change.

Here is my current list, with pictures (click them to see larger) and some information on each person.





#11
Name: James Marsden
Current Age: 35
Where You Probably Know Him From: Cyclops in the X-Men movies
Where I Discovered Him: The 1996-1997 TV show Second Noah
Best Place To See His Body: He has long shirtless scenes in the movies Heights and Sugar & Spice, and the TV show Second Noah. He has never done frontal or rear nudity.
Has He Ever Played Gay?: In the movie The 24th Day and at least one other. (I don’t want to reveal the other movie. I consider it a SPOILER.)
Sexual Orientation: Straight.
Did You Know?: He isn’t known for his singing, but sings (well) in the TV series Ally McBeal, and the movies Hairspray and Enchanted. Although not related to actor Jason Marsden, they are actually good friends and their respective wives have been friends since they were six.





#12
Name: Jim Verraros
Current Age: 26
Where You Probably Know Him From: Season one of American Idol
Where I Discovered Him: American Idol
Best Place To See His Body: Google search (for magazine photo shoots)
Has He Ever Played Gay?: In the movies Eating Out and Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds. He doesn’t show any skin in either one.
Sexual Orientation: Gay. Came out in The Advocate in 2002.
Did You Know?: Both his parents are deaf.


#13
Name: Kal Penn
Current Age: 32
Where You Probably Know Him From: “Kumar” from the three Harold & Kumar movies.
Where I Discovered Him: The movie Van Wilder
Best Place To See His Body: The movies Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (rear nude) and The Namesake (shirtless)
Has He Ever Played Gay?: Not that I can find
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: His real name is Kalpen Modi.






#14
Name: Sal Mineo
Current Age: Killed by a mugger in 1976, age 37.
Where You Probably Know Him From: “Plato” in Rebel Without A Cause
Where I Discovered Him: Krakatoa: East of Java – late night TV when I was a kid
Best Place To See His Body: The movie The Gene Krupa Story (shirtless) and the Harold Stevenson's painting The New Adam (full frontal nude)
Has He Ever Played Gay?: He was smitten with Jim Stark (James Dean) in Rebel. He played opposite Don Johnson in the 1971 gay-themed play Fortune and Men’s Eyes.
Sexual Orientation: Came out in the early 1970’s.
Did You Know?: In 1957, he had a #9 single called “Start Movin’ (In My Direction)”




#15
Name: Ian Somerhalder
Current Age: 30
Where You Probably Know Him From: “Boone” in the TV show Lost
Where I Discovered Him: The very short-lived TV show (8 episodes in 2000) Young Americans – written by my #9 favorite Steve Antin.
Best Place To See His Body: The movies The Rules of Attraction, In Enemy Hands, and Marco Polo (shirtless), and the TV show Tell Me You Love Me (obscured frontal view)
Has He Ever Played Gay?: Yes, in The Rules of Attraction
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: He’s from Covington, LA – right over the Causeway Bridge from my house. No, you probably didn’t – or cared.





#16
Name: Danny Nucci
Current Age: 40
Where You Probably Know Him From: Leonardo Dicaprio’s doomed friend from the movie Titanic
Where I Discovered Him: A 1986 episode of the TV show Growing Pains.
Best Place To See His Body: The movies Sublet (shirtless), Shark In A Bottle (rear nude), and the TV show Some of My Best Friends (shirtless)
Has He Ever Played Gay?: The movie The Unknown Cyclist and maybe other times
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: He was born in Austria, was raised in Italy, and moved to America in 1976.




#17
Name: Rafael Nadal
Current Age: 23
Where You Probably Know Him From: Watching tennis
Where I Discovered Him: The same
Best Place To See His Body: The cover of a magazine, a Google search, or The Tennis Channel
Has He Ever Played Gay?: N/A
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: He is the only male player to have won French Open, Wimbledon, and Olympic gold medal in the same year (2008).






#18
Name: Logan Marshall-Green
Current Age: 32
Where You Probably Know Him From: Played “Trey Atwood” on the TV show The O.C.
Where I Discovered Him: Played “Tyler Fogg” on the short-lived 2007 TV series Traveler
Best Place To See His Body: Short shirtless scene in a movie/TV show that I cannot yet identify
Has He Ever Played Gay?: Not that I know of, though he does more theatre work than movies/TV
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: He has a twin brother named Taylor Marshall-Green.



#19
Name: Andy Roddick
Current Age: 26
Where You Probably Know Him From: Tennis on TV
Where I Discovered Him: A tennis tournament that I was watching in 2000 that he won the day he turned 18. I don’t remember the name of it. I just remember never hearing of him before watching that.
Best Place To See His Body: a Google search
Has He Ever Played Gay?: N/A
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: Roddick hosted Saturday Night Live on November 8, 2003, becoming the second professional tennis player to host (Chris Evert being the first).


#20
Name: Jesse Spencer
Current Age: 30
Where You Probably Know Him From: Plays “Dr. Robert Chase” on the TV show House, though he hasn’t gotten much screen time in the last couple of years.
Where I Discovered Him: In the 2003 movie Swimming Upstream
Best Place To See His Body: That movie – he’s in a Speedo for most of the time.
Has He Ever Played Gay?: No
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Did You Know?: He is fluent in French.





As I mentioned in the original entry, if you enjoy male stars, you really should join my Yahoo group MaleStarsShirtless. And be sure to check out my other blog of the same name.

2010 Men on a Mission Calendar

Interesting article, tipped off to me by Joe.My.God., one of my daily reads:

Back for it's 3rd year, the popular and controversial 2010 calendar features 12 hunky returned Mormon missionaries who served full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

With the cover inspired by artist Arnold Friberg and his rendition of the Book of Mormon story, Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty, we might just see the Honor Code Office at Brigham Young University scrambling to remove any and all shirtless Book of Mormon paintings and sculptures around campus by this and other inspired artists.



Each page features an oversized photo of each model, including a photo as a missionary and a calendar.

There is also a Mormon Boys: Missionary Position sticker, which is NOT as dirty as it sounds.

Two Recent Emails

I have had two interesting emails exchanges recently that I wanted to share.

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#1 -

Bobby (an online acquaintance of mine):

I need your opinion on something. I've been talking to this guy and he sent me the following pics of himself. I told him that they look like a model and professionally done. His response was that he has a friend that take modeling pictures and took these for him. I want to believe him but I've been burned so many times that I don't trust easily anymore. Can you take a look at these pictures and let me know what you think? Have you seen these on the net anywhere?

Here are the pictures he sent with his email, with the files named RANDY1 through RANDY4.








My response:

You're being burned again!

That's definitely a professional model. His name is Kerry Degman. Do a google search and you'll see. Sorry, Bobby.

Why are some people so deceptive!

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#2 -

John is a friend of mine from here in New Orleans. He moved out of town in 2005, but we still keep in touch. I came out to him about 4 years after we met.


John:

I've personally tasked myself with wondering about the people I consider myself to have connections with and asking them what I've always wanted to ask - honestly, sincerely, and without censorship. So, here's your question.

I've always felt like I betrayed you upon my discovering that you were gay. Chalk it up to being young, unexposed, or whatever. I'm not here to make excuses for that or anything so bravado. I just want to know if you felt the same way? Apologies likely to follow.


My response:

Betrayed? I never thought that.

I could, however, tell you were definitely "unexposed" to The Gays (as my mom calls them), but your reaction - both your initial one and your ongoing one - was fine. From my point of view, you said, "Eh. So what?", treating it like a non issue and moving on. That's the reaction I was hoping for.

By the way, I came out to my parents in June 2008 - and now my entire family knows. They have all met Carlos and really like him.

I think he was either drinking when he wrote the email (because he gets "deep" when drinking) or he's stopped drinking and working his way through the 12 Steps of AA. I haven't heard back from him yet.

Male Stars Update

In addition to the two current Yahoo groups that I moderate - MaleStarsShirtless and MaleStarsUndressed - I have created a new one - MaleStarsUpdate.

Here is a sample of a picture I have posted to the group:

Shirtless Sanjaya

Every season* on American Idol, there is at least one contestant that I really root for. Last season, it was Sanjaya Malakar. Yes, his singing got worse and worse almost every week, but I still liked him.






It only took me a year, but I finally found shirtless pictures of Sanjaya.



*To compare: My pick in the first season of American Idol was Jim Verraros. I still follow his career. I'll save shirtless pictures of him for another time.

Top Ten Favorite Male Stars of All Time

NOTE: Be sure to view the update to this post here.

My Yahoo group dedicated to Male Stars Shirtless
Join Us!

Maybe he starred in one of my favorite movies growing up (#9 and #6) or played a character that I could really relate to (#10, #8, #6, and #2), and I’ve followed his career ever since.

Maybe I love his acting (all of them, but especially #8, #7, #5, and #1).

Maybe his personal life fascinates me (#9, #5, #4, and #3).

Maybe I just think he’s one of the cutest actors around (uh, all of them).

Here are my Top Ten Favorite Male Actors of All Time.

One is dead (# 5).

One is currently over 65 (# 4).

One is only 22 (#7).

One was born on my birthday - March 31 (#6).

Two have virtually left acting (#9 and #4).

Two are gay (#9 and #4). Coincidence for above?

#10
Peter Facinelli

Current Age: 34
My Favorite Movie of His: The Price of Love
Best Movie To See His Body: Foxfire


#9

Steve Antin
Current Age: 48
My Favorite Movies of His: Inside Monkey Zetterland
and It’s My Party
Best Movie To See His Body: The Last American Virgin


#8

Ethan Embry
Current Age: 28
My Favorite Movies of His: Empire Records
That Thing You Do
Can’t Hardly Wait which also stars #10!
Celeste in the City
Best Movies To See His Body: The TV show “Freakylinks”
and the movie White Squall


#7

Kevin Zegers
Current Age: 22
My Favorite Movie of His: Time Share
(I’d also list Wrong Turn because I like the movie, but he’s killed off in the first 30 minutes. Oh, SPOILER.)
Best Movie To See His Body: Transamerica


#6

William McNamara
Current Age: 42
My Favorite Movie of His: Doing Time on Maple Drive
Best Movie To See His Body: Chasers


#5

River Phoenix
Age at Death: 23
My Favorite Movie of His: Stand By Me
Best Movie To See His Body: My Own Private Idaho


#4

Tommy Kirk
Current Age: 66
My Favorite Movie of His: Swiss Family Robinson
Best Movies To See His Body: Village of the Giants
Bon Voyage!


#3

Ryan Phillippe
Current Age: 33
My Favorite Movie of His: White Squall
Best Movies To See His Body:
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Cruel Intentions
54


#2

Stephane Rideau
Current Age: 31
My Favorite Movie of His: Les Roseaux Sauvages (English Title: Wild Reeds)
Best Movies To See His Body:
Presque Rien (English Title: Come Undone)
Sitcom


#1

James Duval
Current Age: 35
My Favorite Movies of His: Donnie Darko
Totally F***ed Up
Go
Comic Book Villains
Best Movies To See His Body: May
Nowhere
The Doom Generation

And The Nominees Are...

Carlos and I are trying to see as many Oscar-nominated movies and actors before The Big Night. (Oscar night is like the Superbowl for us Gays.)

About a month ago, we saw The Queen. Admittedly, he dragged me to the movie, but I really enjoyed it.

Tonight, we saw The Departed. Oh. My. God. It is such a great movie. It’s probably the best movie I’ve seen in a year.

If you haven’t seen it, go!


If Forest Whitaker hadn't been nominated for Best Actor, Leonardo DiCaprio would win. Maybe he still will.

Of the Best Picture nominees, that only leaves Babel, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Little Miss Sunshine.

Stay tuned.

Movie Maker

Debbie showed us a (quite cool) video collage of some pictures she took on her recent trip. I asked her which program she used - Windows Movie Maker. I've been messing around with that program and came up with this: