MasculineCurves

"bigger than" a porn star...

Thanks to a tip from a reader I have another follow-up to the “whatever-happened-to-gay-porn-star-Brian-Stinger” saga (previous posts here and here). In my last update I uncovered that he had spent the greater part of the last decade in a Florida penitentiary. In an unexpected turn of events it looks as though he’s chosen this decade to give his life to the God and is now known as Christian R&B artist RIZM. I guess it’s not so uncommon for people with tumultuous pasts to go all Jesus freak, but I never would have seen this coming. This sure dashes any hope I had of him ever getting back into the adult entertainment industry.

On a serious note, I kinda feel for him. I can’t help but to believe this song is autobiographical when he sings about a bad childhood that brought on psychological issues that lead him to attempt suicide.

No Momo

I know I might be kind of late on this, but here's a golden nugget to tuck in the "crazy things cultish religious people do" file. Brandon Davies, a strapping young basketball player for BYU, has been booted from the team's roster for, of all things, having premarital sex with his girlfriend.... uh.... gasp!

Mormon Men on A Mission

Ever since I saw the movie Latter Days I sort of developed a little fantasy about those strapping young bucks in starched white shirts and solid ties.  I'd even spotted quite a few 'elders' this summer riding their bikes from door-to-door, thumping bibles, and spreading the good word all over town.  Well, here's an item to be filed in my "never thought I'd see that happen" category.  It's the 2008 Men on a Mission calendar, and it only makes that good Mormon boy fantasy even more vivid.

Believe it or not, each of these hot guys is a real-life Mormon missionary.  According to the Men on a Mission website, "These hunky young men of faith explode with sexuality on each calendar page. Hand-selected for their striking appearances and powerful spiritual commitment, the 'devout dozen' are stepping away from the Mormon traditions of modest dress, and 'baring their testimony' to demonstrate that they can have strong faith and be proud of who they are, both with a sense of individualism and a sense of humor."

The calendar's promoter, Chad Hardy, comes from a sixth generation Mormon family and completed a two-year mission himself.  He founded Mormons Exposed as an effort to lift the veil and debunk some of the myths and misperceptions surrounding  the religion - encouraging people of every belief system to be more tolerant of one another.

Hhmmm... after seeing this, I know I can definitely show more tolerance the next time one of the elders knocks on my door.

Tammy Faye Messner 1942-2007

In a recent posting on his blog, Keith Boykin asked the question “Why do gay men love female divas?” If I had to guess I think it might be because many of us have witnessed the strength of remarkable women in our childhoods and have been attracted to them ever since. As a child of the 80s my single mother raised my sister and me with Kraft macaroni and cheese on the stove and the TV tuned to Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Christian network, The Praise The Lord Club (PTL). At that time I didn’t understand my attraction to this bubbly, painted woman who raised her hands and rejoiced with tears in her eyes and mascara running down her face.  I now realize I was fascinated by her because no amount of makeup could mask Tammy Faye (Bakker) Messner’s unbelievable courage. As I write this post I’m saddened by the news of Tammy Faye’s passing. It’s as if a bit of my childhood has died with her.  I watched in utter awe as Jim Bakker’s scandals brought down the walls of the PTL Club. It is a part of pop culture and Tammy Faye became an icon.

What makes Tammy Faye such an iconic diva? She entertained and amused us for decades. She wore her makeup and fake eyelashes proudly and unapologetically. She wasn’t afraid to poke a little fun at herself from time to time (The Surreal Life). She survived the PTL scandal unscathed and went on to live a life in the limelife. She was one of the first televangelists to reach out to people with AIDS when no one else would even broach the topic. She embraced the gay community and never came across as a person who passed judgment regardless of what her personal views may have been. It was obvious that Tammy Faye believed first and foremost that God is love.

This past Thursday, just a day before her death, a gaunt 65 pound Tammy Faye appeared on Larry King Live – in high spirits and in full makeup. According to Larry King she requested the interview. It’s as if she wanted the world to hear her last words and witness her faith to the very end. I’ll miss her. May she rest in peace.

View more of Tammy Faye Messner's final interview on YouTube:

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Part 3of 3