Every so often I get e-mails from blog readers asking me to share a little more about myself on the blog. This question always strikes me as a bit odd. To me, pretty much every detail of my life has been exposed over the last seven years, along with the many images and countless incarnations of my logo. No, there is no long autobiography, with each life event laid out in chronological order, but it is all there. Within many of the profiles I have written, articles and movie reviews, details of every aspect of my life, including a few images, have been revealed. Stories of my childhood, my teen years, coming-out, loves, hates and passions. The joy and pain of my relationships with my parents and family, friends, my first love, it's beginning, and gut wrenching end.
My thoughts are weaved within almost every sentence I type, every post on the blog. It was my disdain for any form of cruelty that became a core factor in how the blog was eventually formed. The Internet is full of sites, with bloggers whose soul motivation is to tear others down. My hope was for FH to balance that out, even if just a little bit. It's sort of ironic, there are many men on this blog, most completely naked physically, yet some of them, reveal almost nothing about themselves. Vulnerability is an emotion many believe they wish for, especially in others. Most of us however, struggle with it when it becomes a reality. We spent a lot our lives garnering protection, I know I have. To be ready if someone or something is going to attack and hurt. FH has in some ways acted both as a wall, and a doorway for me, depending on the day. Ultimately though, the creative process has been an outlet, a vehicle for expression other aspects of my life doesn't always welcome.
I think many writers and bloggers feel this way and I have profiled many of them over the years. Bloggers whose writing I love, bloggers who inspire and challenge me, funny and fascinating writers and yes, usually more than a few who are naked. I recently was fortunate to find a site, and a blogger, who fits into each of those categories. Michael, writes and runs, the aptly named blog, Entertain Me. In just the past few days, the entertainment focused site has included subjects as diverse as Miley Cyrus and Courtney Love, through KC And The Sunshine Band! A few recent favorites include an R.I.P to True Bloods Alcide, an essay on why Helen Mirren is hot and a one on one with singer, songwriter and actress Naama Kates. Has Naama Kates Ever Been "Souled"?
Michael's writing is as I hope mine will be one day. Well researched, crisp and to the point, witty, intelligent and maybe most of all respectful. In part this might be because Michael doesn't just write about show business, he is closely connected to it. It was that business that originally brought him to Los Angeles. Michael reports that arrived in L.A with the same dream that so many others do, the desire to act and break into show business. Michael took classes, auditioned and auditioned, and while he loved the craft of acting, he quickly grew to hate the business side that unfortunately came with it.
Below: Michael in a scene from Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Michael says that writing has always been one of his natural talents, so.... one day he decided to pick up the phone and start making calls to various magazines and publications, trying his best to get one of them to give him a shot! Even without an English or journalism degree, Michael just simply knew that he could write. Those calls paid off! 'I made a living off of writing for many years doing celebrity interviews, entertainment stories and writing the sex column Between The Sheets for the now defunct Men magazine.'
During this time, Michael also did quite a few interviews with porn stars and wrote other erotically themed articles including several focused on sexual fetishes. Michael always loved the freedom of being naked, and with all that time writing sexually charged articles for porn magazines, his interest in getting naked in front the camera was fueled even more intensely! When a lot of the magazines that he was writing for began to fold, Michael decided it was time to explore the world of nude modeling for himself. This led to an eight page spread in the now out of print 100% Beef when it was still a newsstand publication.
Image below from YogaBear Studio
'Being nude has always appealed to me and after I took the plunge and did my first photo session and found out how free it felt I loved it and have never put clothes on in front of a photographers lens again.'
Last two images from Studio Jorgen
Since first talking off his clothes for the camera Michael has never looked back. In addition to posing for photographers, Michael has spent many hours in the buff posing for art and drawing classes. The writer appears to want to do most things naked these days, but I resisted asking what percentage of his blog was written in the all together. Entertain Me is an beautiful and interesting hybrid of Michael's many experiences. His nude modeling has made him keenly aware of what it is like to be completely bare with everyone's eyes, and judgements, directed solely on him. His time both writing and acting, provided a list of contacts that he now draws on frequently for the blog and his knowledge and experience in the business have given him a unique and valuable perspective on those that he profiles.
