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My Gay Family Tree
When I was in grad school in Bloomington, I became interested in family history -- not just my grandparents and uncles and aunts, but generations of Jacksons, Howards, Hicks, Allens, Praters, and...
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Was Renato Salvatori in Playgirl?
Speaking of misidentified photos, I'm told that this nude photo from a 1975 issue of Playgirl is of Italian film star Renato Salvatori (1933-1988). But I don't believe it. Too tall, too much chest...
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The Collegians: Muscle and Gay Symbolism of the Silent Movie Era
The Silent Movie Blog has an interesting post on The Collegians, a series of silent movie shorts (1926-1929) directed by Wesley Ruggles, about buddy-competitors at Calford College, Ed Benson (George...
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Summer 1968: Why Brother Hanson Got a Divorce
I love the word divorce. Here's why:Fall 1967, second grade: My parents are making a big fuss over the girl with the marvelous dollhouse: "You have a girlfriend!"When I protest that I like boys, they...
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Fall 1973: Junior High Fantasies of Paul Getty Junior
During the summer of 1973, just after 7th grade at Washington Junior High, I started reading newspaper articles about Paul Getty Jr., the 16-year old grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, who had...
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The Beefcake Museum of Los Angeles
Los Angeles was home for 13 years, but you never go sightseeing at home; you're busy with the rhythms of everyday life. When I got out-of-town visitors, they always wanted to go to the French Quarter...
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Tad Hilgenbrink: Corey Haim for the 2000s
I haven't seen any of those American Pie movies -- they sound awful, especially the straight-to-video American Pie Presents Band Camp (2005). It starred Tad Hilgenbrink as Matt Stifler, rabble-rousing...
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Il Sorpasso: Italian Buddy-Bonding with a Tragic Twist
Il Sorpasso (The Good Life, 1962) is an Italian homoerotic buddy drama directed by Dino Risi.Roberto, a young, timid law school student (Jean-Louis Trintignant, left) meets the brash, devil-may-care,...
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Primo Carnera: Plus-Sized Bisexual Boxer
Primo Carnera (1906-1967) was big -- maybe not the giant as he seems in the publicity photos that deliberately pair him with short guys, but tall, thick, and built -- 6'7", 265 lbs, with a bicep the...
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Maleficent: A Disney Fairy Tale That's Not Heterosexist
When I was a kid, I hated fairy tales. All about princes rescuing princesses, or else being told "if you accomplish this quest, I'll give you the princess." I'd rather get a prince.And the worst of the...
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Barry Williams/Greg Brady
Of the three boys in the iconic 1970s blended-family sitcom The Brady Bunch (1969-74), Christopher Knight (Peter, middle) grew into a bodybuilder with a spectacular physique, and Mike Lookinland...
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Jaanipaev: The Midsummer Beefcake Festival of Estonia
In 1998, Yuri and I were in Johvi, Estonia for Jaanipäev, St. John's Day, a national holiday.The day before, June 23rd, is Võidupüha, Victory Day, commemorating the Estonian War of Independence, and...
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My Boss Lets Out His Trouser Snake
During my senior year in high school, my parents said "It's time you started earning your own money." So I got a part-time job at the Carousel Snack Bar in Southpark Mall, about a ten-minute drive from...
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Spring 1979: Captain Ernie and His First Mate
Back before Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel, Netflix, and DVDs, you got your dose of kids' tv in two places:1. On a sugar-rush five hours of cartoons every Saturday morning.2. Weekdays after school, on...
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Ramon Novarro and the Gay Hustlers
Ramon Novarro (1899-1968) was one of the great beefcake actors of the silent movie era. He was cast mostly as "exotic" Middle Easterners (The Arab, A Lover's Oath, The Barbarian, The Sheik Steps Out)...
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Fall 1977: A Gay Romance on "Barnaby Jones"
October 27, 1977, the cold, windy Thursday night four days before Halloween, during my senior year at Rocky High.The family has gathered in front of the tv set, as usual: the tv is on every night from...
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Why Is Bomba the Jungle Boy Always Tied Up?
Johnny Sheffield (1931-2010) spent the first 24 years of his life being filmed in a loincloth cut to the thigh, first as "Boy," son of Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller in 8 movies (1939-1947), and then as the...
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Looking for Muscle on "The Dick Van Dyke Show"
The Dick Van Dyke Show won 15 Emmies during its five seasons (1961-1966), and is constantly praised today as one of the greatest TV shows of all time (TV Guide ranks it at #13). It came on before my...
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Jump Quiz: The Nazarene Sport of Bibles and Butts
When I was growing up in the Church of the Nazarene, most of the high school boys and a few girls competed in the jump quiz.They announced the book of the Bible every year during summer camp, and we...
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Nicholas D'Agosto: Hustler, Sex Researcher, Cheerleader
Dirty Girl (2010) is about a promiscuous straight girl who goes on a road trip to meet her biological father. She takes her chunky gay bff, who is trying to escape his violently abusive parents. It...
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