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Manhattan Digest

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dirk caber

One On One With The Talented & Intelligent Eddy Ceetee

by Ryan Shea

Manhattan Digest, Eddy Ceetee

It is always good to catch a star on the rise, and that is exactly what I did when it comes to the handsome and super intelligent Eddy Ceetee.  Eddy, who currently resides in Boston, has become very well known in such a short period of time due to his presence at one of the best (if not the best) studios out there right now- Titan Men.  His chiseled body and warm smile has delighted fans for months, enough to earn him a Best Newcomer nomination this past weekend at the annual Grabby Awards in Chicago.  With all that is going on with him, Eddy sat down with Manhattan Digest to discuss this and so much more.

Eddy Ceetee, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Michael Charles

So tell me how you got into the industry in the first place?

I’ve always thought about it and something I did research on.  I was bartending in Providence at Ego where two very known stars, Jesse Jackman and Dirk Caber, were guests there.  I started talking to them and they said I would be perfect for it, which I obliged and then they got me in contact with Jasun Mark (Director for Titan Men).  I had an interview with another company which I didn’t feel as good about it as I did with Titan.  I felt completely comfortable there.

When I talked to Jasun he was pretty much opened to whatever I wanted, even the contract I was signed to was tailor made for that sort of thing. A couple of months later I flew to Los Angeles to film my first couple of scenes, and it has been great ever since.

So in my opinion, Titan Men’s models always seemed to be the most physically fit and look natural while doing so unlike other studios where the guys can look borderline plastic.  That being said, has health and fitness always been in your life or did it spur when you joined the industry?

100 percent been about health and fitness. I remember the day I got my drivers license was the same day I got a gym membership.  I was always skinny, especially in high school, and I knew I always wanted to be bigger and more muscular.  If you look at pictures of me over the years I have grown and changed and I just like that I am able to manipulate my body in anyway that I want and I get results right away.  There aren’t many things in life that you can get results instantly and I feel like with my body that I have gotten to know it so well so I can manipulate it and make it grow and do these changes.

Health is something I also take very seriously.  I don’t know what it is because my parents let us eat whatever we wanted growing up, but I knew in the back of it I wanted to be healthy.  Coming into this business I was already muscular and knew I had the body and I say that with pride because I am at the gym 7 days a week.  I put the gym before a lot of other things in my life.  I wasn’t born like this and want to be able to keep this momentum going for as long as I can.

So did you have any inspirations that got you into this industry?

My favorite is Francois Sagat.  I like what he has done with his career and he has made something out of it.  If there is a way of being classy in this industry, I feel like he did it.

Manhattan Digest, Eddy Ceetee
Credit to: Michael Charles

So I know you are still new in this industry so your first scene wasn’t too long ago.  Can you tell me about it and what it was like?

I was actually very nervous!  For some reason though, it felt right.  My biggest fear was I was going to go into this and regret it and when I came out of it not doing so, I knew it was the right thing.

My first scene was with Nick Prescott, however for whatever reason Titan didn’t release that as my first.  I think they wanted the big shock and Nick Capra has been around for 10-15 years so I think it was a great decision there to put that as the first scene as it got me out there more.  It was amazing.  Nick and I connected right away and we hung out after it was over even with us being together for six hours straight.  I have heard from a lot of other guys in this industry that the first guy they have a scene with they develop a connection with.  You are putting your all out there and having someone to share it with so I think that is what that experience was.

So your background tells me that you grew up in Lebanon until you were 10, then moved to Connecticut and have been living in Boston for the past couple of years.  As someone who is out and proud, was it difficult for you growing up to come out regardless of your geographical location?

I didn’t think about anything gay before I came here.  I don’t remember anytime before I was 10 where I felt like I had a gay moment. I always had crushes on girls.  Around 14 I started having feelings for men, but I still dated girls and had a girlfriend throughout high school.  Originally, I didn’t want to accept what was going on and deal with those feelings so I would try to not think about it.  The first time I was with a guy was when I drove two hours away for it and convinced myself that I wasn’t going to like it and then I’ll forget these feelings.  Turns out I liked it and never went back to women.  Dabbled for a bit, but never completely back.  I’ve been with different types of people and am open about it.  I think I’m just human so if I feel a certain way about someone why not just go with it?

A lot of guys who work in the business also wind up doing escorting on the side or as a duality type of thing.  Is that something you would consider?

I did it for a while, I just don’t know if it’s my thing.  I have nothing against it at all, but it’s not for me.  I don’t feel comfortable doing it, but I’ve done it here and there and it just didn’t feel right.  For me.  Everyone wants attention, love or to feel important, so a lot of these people who hire escorts- that’s what they want.  You are pretty much helping these people feel better about themselves.  So I don’t think there is anything wrong with it.

Manhattan Digest, Eddy Ceetee
Credit to: Michael Charles

I ask this in all my interviews regarding barebacking in scenes.  Would you ever do it?

I feel the industry is heading to be completely bareback, but it’s something I don’t want to do now.  I’m a big advocate of safe sex, and from my experience with some of the fans that contact me that are 18 and 19 years old and some of my clients is that they are simply uneducated.  If they see bareback all the time, they think it is going to be more OK to do it.  It is not.  People forget that this is real life as well, and even though you may be taking care of yourself the other person might not.  Sex is supposed to be fun and happy, you just don’t want to be worried about diseases and other stuff out there.  If you can avoid getting some of this stuff, why not?

I just don’t want to do it because its putting the wrong message out there- for me.  I have friends who do it and have nothing against it, however I am educated enough in my personal life that I will not do that.  I don’t want to put it out there for the younger gays to think its OK to do that without the education behind it.

Do you have a particular actor or director you want to work with?

I know he doesn’t really shoot anymore but I would love to do a scene with Francois.  I put all these interviews out there hoping he would hit me up, but he hasn’t! I just think hes awesome and love the photography that he does, its very artsy and weird which I love.

A lot of people who come into this industry are flashes in the pan, where they are hot for a minute and then are out the next.  How do you plan on elongating the Eddy Ceetee brand and going the distance in this industry?

I already feel like I’m different than most of these people because I am thinking outside of the sex in the scenes and not just the now moment.  I believe that no matter how you get a voice, use it in a positive way.  That is what i am going by.  My favorite quote is, “aspire to be admired”, so if you present yourself in a certain way, people will want to cling onto you.

If you are in the Boston area, check out this great event that Eddy will be apart of!

eddy1 Official Site

Twitter

 

Filed Under: LGBT, LIFESTYLE Tagged With: dirk caber, eddy ceetee, jasun mark, jesse jackman, manhattan digest, titan media, titan men

One On One With The Talented & Brutishly Handsome Colby Jansen

by Ryan Shea

Colby Jansen, Manhattan Digest

When it comes to physical presence and good looks, you really can’t get better (in my opinion) than Colby Jansen.  Colby has done a phenomenal job in the adult industry becoming one of the top performers in his field due to his great looks, ability on camera, as well as developing a huge fan base outside of the lens.  Hairy, muscular with a great smile to boot, his versatility in his Men.com scenes have shot him to an all time high with his presence in the gay world and has proven that you don’t need to be a flash in the pan and last longer than most people do in this particular industry.

Already with 5 plus years under him, he currently has his sites set on aspects not only in the adult industry but also in the health & fitness world as well. I recently met him at the 2015 Hookie Awards in New York City, and was struck with his friendly demeanor, charismatic attitude and chiseled good looks which meld together in one amazing package (no pun intended).  I stayed in touch with him and finally got a chance to interview him last week when he attended one of the biggest gay events in the world- The White Party in Palm Springs, California. Colby opens up about how he got into this industry in the first place, his thoughts on why our community judges the B in LGBT, why his favorite scene partners are not alike at all and his surprising turn as to what is next for him.  Take a look.

Thanks for sitting down with me Colby!  So tell me a little bit on how you got yourself into this industry.

I was getting divorced, actually, and dating this girl who happened to be a stripper in DC.  Evidently she was doing porn and going to Phoenix to do a scene.  She had trust issues with the other guys apparently and wanted me to go with her.  I obliged and went with her while she did a shoot, and during that time was approached by someone to do porn myself.  The guy pretty much said, “You want to make some real money”?  I ended up doing a bunch of scenes for Amateur Straight Guys, which was alright because doing gay porn compared to straight had a much higher dollar value so I made more money in that aspect.  This was about six or seven years ago.  I was in the industry for a brief time and moved out to LA with my wife Gia then back to Buffalo and decided the industry wasn’t for us and went back to our normal lives.

During that time I was struggling at a crappy job, and financial concerns became an issue.   I then decided to get back into the industry full force and it took off bigger than I ever thought it would.

Just for the record here, because there is a lot of back and forth about this on the blogs and stuff, what do you identify yourself sexually as?

Well, I don’t like to label myself as a bisexual, yet it seems that would be a lot easier for many other people to understand.  Mainly, it is sex that I like and I just go with it.  I have found that in the LGBT community that the B part is actually forgotten about.  In group settings, people have a hard time really believing that someone can be bisexual and will constantly question you regarding falling onto one side of the fence.  If we want to be an actual community we need to accept each other for who we are and not spend our time judging and being mean if someone doesn’t fit the norm.

Colby Jansen, Ryan Shea
Credit to: Ryan Shea

When I met you at The Hookies I found it was quite telling that you presented the award for Best Bear/Cub as you embody a lot of what that culture is as you have a “real man” type of build to you.  Do you see that becoming a staying trend in the industry?  What is your take on that?

There is a real look, but there is also a chemically induced look that a lot of the guys have, muscle wise.  A lot of them work very hard on their bodies, don’t get me wrong, but I have a big chip on my shoulders when it comes to guys who use chemical enhancers to get their body where they feel it needs to be.  When I was playing football there were guys who were cheating and using all of that stuff,  so I’ve had a history of that around me.  Then again, there are guys who work their bodies and don’t rely on that.  I pride myself on being natural and honestly have been baffled at the positive response that I have gotten in this industry based off of that.

I mean, are you really that shocked though?  When I posted the photo of me and you at the awards I was not that surprised by the amounts of comments and likes from all different types of men who have a huge affinity for you.  What do you think that is?

I think it has a lot to do with personality.  There are a lot of guys who are only friendly and nice to a particular subset of gay men, which doesn’t work with me.  I go out of my way to be nice to all different types of people and that in turn makes you approachable.  If you are walking around with a smile on your face, people are going to want to talk to you.  They see that you are a warm person.  If you are walking around with duck face or a scowl then who is going to want to talk to that? No one.

Colby Jansen, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Colby Jansen

You are of course married to the beautiful Gia Darling, who is a well-known figure in the trans community.  Bruce Jenner just recently became the face of that community due to her hugely watched interview with Diane Sawyer.  What was both your takes on it?

We actually haven’t really talked about it yet because when the interview came out I was in Palm Springs.  I know for a fact that everytime we go to the stores and we see all the gossip magazines, Gia’s heart breaks for her as she gets what she is going through.  I only get recognized if I go to a gay bar or what not, she has cameras following her 24/7 so the anxiety level must be through the roof and for her to do what she did is going to be really big for the community in general.  What our hope is now that Bruce has done this is that is shifts the public’s perception on the trans community as not just being a sexual fetish for certain people and that they can actually move through society normally without judgment.

So you have been a Men.com exclusive for quite some time now.  Have you ever thought of branching off and working with other largely based studios?

I mean, I don’t think you can get bigger than Men.com when they are coming out with new movies every single day.  I am very comfortable with where I am with them and really love all the people there.  At this point, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Colby Jansen, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Colby Jansen

You have done numerous scenes to many people’s liking over the years.  Do you have particularly a favorite scene that you have done and why?  Also, who would you like to work with that you haven’t yet?

There are two particular men that I really enjoyed working with that happen to be on complete opposites of the spectrum.  One is Tyler Sweet, who I did two scenes with- “Crotch Rocket” and “Son Swap”.  That was pretty great.  The other scene I loved was with Dirk Caber, who was also in “Son Swap”.  Two guys that are on completely different ends of the spectrum in terms of looks and age, both extremely attractive guys- it really just depends on the person and the chemistry that I have with them.

When it comes to other performers, I’ve always liked Jake Bass. I’ve always saw him as a super sexy Montreal guy who is really hot.  Paddy O’Brien is someone I have always wanted to work with as well as he looks like a lot of fun.  We have never met though, he films over in the U.K. whereas I am based here in the states.  I get over there maybe once a year and our schedules haven’t worked out, so hopefully sometime in the future we can arrange something.

A constant that I have asked in interviews with other stars like yourself is about the prevalence of bareback porn that is happening in the industry. What is your take on that and is that something you would ever consider doing?

I’ve been approached to do it and I simply won’t.  I’m negative and take pRep and all, I just don’t want to put myself in those types of movies.  People mimic what they see on these movies and it may have a negative influence on the younger generations out there.

You recently got a lot of coverage due to a scene with Men.com where you read lines from Shakespeare while having an “Autoblow 2” sex toy attached to your manhood.  I watched and was impressed and amused throughout, yet turned on of course.  Please tell me that was real and you weren’t acting?

God no, that wasn’t acting.  Even though the scene itself was only three minutes long, I had been using the Autoblow a little bit beforehand to get myself going hehe.  You can see how flush I became, I was awfully pink.  They also did me a big favor by giving me the hardest passage to read, which made the whole thing that much more interesting.

Colby Jansen, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Colby Jansen

A lot of men and women in the industry go beyond the starring aspect and actually make their stage name a brand in many different facets.  Is that something you want to do as well?

That happens to be something I am doing currently through Team Beachbody which I have linked to on my Facebook and Instagram.  I am a Team Beachbody coach, and that includes all the P90X and Insanity type of workouts.  On Facebook I have groups of 10 people and help them move through the 21 day fix which is a good way of losing 10-15 pounds in 3 weeks.  It is a really good thing for anybody who wants to shed a bunch of pounds or who wants to reset their eating regiment.  It is a portion control thing with a meal replacement shake called “Shakeology”.  That is what I am moving towards and within the next couple of months I will be coming out with my own line of protein shakes and some creatine types that can help people achieve a weight level that they are comfortable being at while being healthy throughout.

In conclusion, what is a good end goal for you in this industry?

I guess my ultimate goal is to keep doing what I am doing but branch out so there is a lasting type of effect.  That is where my motivation is with the weight loss and the healthy eating type of thing, because there is nothing cooler than getting an email from someone who says that I was their inspiration for getting fit and being happy while doing so.  I’ve had people send me all types of great messages and that is the kind of thing that is my driving force in doing all of this.

Colby’s Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Filed Under: LGBT Tagged With: Autoblow 2, california, colby jansen, dirk caber, Gia Darling, hookie awards, manhattan digest, men.com, New York City, NYC, paddy o'brien, palm springs, rentboy, ryan shea, seth sweet, The White Party

Rocco Steele Wins Top Honors at the 2015 Hookie Awards

by Ryan Shea

The 2015 Hookie Awards went down this past Friday night at BPM inside The Out Hotel on 42nd Street.  It is true in some cases when you say third time’s a charm, and seeing as this was my third Hookie award show that I went to I can truly say that this was the case as this one I had the most fun at.  Probably because I have interviewed most of these intelligent and sexy men, and knew what I was getting myself into (puns galore).  Regardless of the fact that the shitty weather was keeping us from half naked men and water cooler awards like Best Cock and Best Boyfriend Fantasy, the room was packed to see the who’s who in the Rentboy world as well as some bonus amenities that I will get to later.  This event was also live streamed for this first time on the web so you could enjoy the debauchery and excitement at home in your boxers with those sticky stains on them. Ew.

Hookie Awards, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Fahrenheit NYC Photography

I started off my evening before the show at a pre-party with some of my favorite guys in the industry like Neil AKA Erotic Hypno, Jesse Jackman and Dirk Caber as well as a new friend that I met, Duncan Black.  I also got to hang with my Buffboyz buddy Jeffrey Watchman who let me in on some pretty awesome news that I will be writing about soon (think naked guys.  Wait, this article already makes you think about that.  Just look at Jeffrey’s photos for reference and stay tuned).   After the pre-party we waltzed into the show itself where I hung out with my new favorite person (and fellow chicken finger lover) Dewitt from Manhunt who is just as cute in real life as he is in his photos.  His shorts he was wearing left little to the imagination, which would’ve been a disappointment if he wore more.  The award show itself was hosted by Rupaul’s Drag Race legend Alaska Thunderfuck and by comedian Brad Loekle, who pretty much stated throughout the award show that he is a grateful size queen who would bottom for the majority of the audience with a smile on his face.  The reference he made about Boomer Bank’s huge cock and Dora The Explorer was probably the funniest joke of the night.  Kudos to him.  Alaska seemed to be feeling her oats for the most part however I thought her jokes could’ve been a little bit better as Brad seemed to be carrying the entire show.  Needless to say they both did a great job in keeping the event going seamlessly and in a timely fashion.

Manhattan Digest, Boomer Banks, The Hookies, Rocco Steele
Credit to: Jeff Eason

Onto the winners.  I love Rocco Steele as he has been a great friend of mine for almost a year now.  The fact that he even doubted winning Mister International 2015 was something that I giggled at as this was his Julianne Moore “Still Alice” moment.  He was a shoo-in from the moment he was nominated so naturally I was ecstatic that he won that and another pivotal award… Best Cock.  2015 really was his year and the fact that he continues to be humble in a community that has a bit of arrogance is really what makes him such an incredibly awesome person.  I am beyond proud of him for what he has done since I first interviewed him last July.

Boomer Banks, Manhattan Digest, The Hookies
Credit to: Boomer Banks

Boomer Banks won a unique award that Rentboy presents for Best Style, which didn’t seem like much of a stretch as I have seen his get ups in person as they are quite spectacular.  He should’ve won for Best Pornstar or tied that with Rocco, but it is what it is.  Something that I was quite happy to see this year as I am a bear/cub was that the people who won this year (tie) actually represent that community.  The winners were Ted Byrns & Will Foster, and I couldn’t be happier that they represented us at The Hookies.  Totally rad.  Whereas I didn’t agree with some of the winners at the actual event (not naming names here but I did shake my head a couple of times) the ones that did win were genuinely happy and that’s really all that matters at the end of the day.

Manhattan Digest, The Hookies, Stoya
Credit to: Jeff Eason

Side notes from the event:

I felt like I was one of the few people who actually knew who Stoya was.  She is one of the biggest female performers out there, drop dead gorgeous and I loved that someone from her realm of porn was repping for the gays at ours.

Ryan Shea, Colby Jansen, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Me

The biggest shock of the evening wasn’t exactly the winners or anything that happened on stage.  It was quite possibly the most handsome man I have ever laid my eyes on Colby Jansen being in attendance.  He was there to present Best Bear/Cub (nice) and couldn’t have been nicer or better to look at.  Colby, I’m ready to interview you… pick the location.  I’m so open. 🙂

One of the nicest people that i met that night was hairy ginger & Best Twink winner Shameless Seamus, who was visiting New York for the first time by way of Nashville.  Adorable and sweet in person, he has a thing for older bears (He’s 22 and I’m 28.  Daddy age is coming).  So naturally I want him to visit again so we can explore his “older bear” thang.

I was so happy to see Seth Fornea be one of the trophy boys at the ceremony as I have happily interviewed him in the past.  However, his counterpart who goes by the name of “Ricky” was on a lot of people’s lips that night.  Not literally, but chatting wise.  If he really decides to go the distance in this arena he could be the next big thing.  Cuz boy oh boy was he fun to look at (and chat with later on that night at Attic).

Completely forgetting I met him at Hustlaball 2015, I was happy to see Bravo Delta make an appearance by way of the never ending winter city of Boston.  A nominee that night, I enjoyed our conversations that we had as he is one of the most intelligent men I have met in this biz.

Want to know more about The Hookies?  Check out their official site. 

Filed Under: LGBT, LIFESTYLE Tagged With: 2015 hookies, Alaska thunderfuck, boomer banks, brad loekle, bravo delta, colby jansen, dirk caber, jesse jackman, rentboy, rocco steele, rupauls drag race, seth fornea, stoya, ted byrns, will foster

Hustlaball Hits New York City Hard October 12th

by Ryan Shea

Hustlaball, Manhattan Digest

 

The gay lifestyle and New York City kind of go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly.  With the exception of a couple of other competing cities in the United States, you really can’t compete with us here when it comes to the variety of gay bars, nightlife and huge events that happen year round in the city that never sleeps.  One infamous one is the epic Black Party which took place back in March to much hype and confirmed fanfare.  But if there is one event that combines the hottest men in the world, great music and some awesome live shows featuring both, it is the outrageous Hustlaball NYC, which is taking place this Sunday night at Club Slake on West 30th between 7th and 8th Avenue.

How does one describe Hustlaball to a viewer or person that has never heard of this before? It is simply designed as the world’s largest erotic dance party.  Taken place not only in New York City but in London and Las Vegas as well, the New York City version is jam packed with some of the biggest gay adult movie stars in the world, sure to entice and excite any fan to buy a ticket and see what their favorite performer or performers will be doing on and off the stage.  So who in fact will be there?  Performers such as Rocco Steele, Dirk Caber and Killian James who Manhattan Digest have profiled before to high praise and criticism.  As hot as those three are, the buck doesn’t stop just there.  Also performing will be superstars Tommy Defendi, Tyson Tyler, Christopher Daniels, Seth Santoro, Austin Wolf and Duncan Black just to name a few.  There are so many more performers that you should check out the official site for more information.

Hustlaball, Manhattan Digest, Boomer Banks
Credit to: Hustlaball NYC

I was fortunate enough to sit down with another person I interviewed this past year, the sexy and seductive Boomer Banks, who is one of the organizers of Hustlaball NYC this year.  Take a look at what he has to say about the raunchiness and debauchery that Hustlaball NYC will expedite this coming Sunday night.

Tell us about some of the performers at Hustlaball.

This year, we have an amazing line up: Falcon Exclusive Ryan Rose and Colton Grey return this year to perform together (Hot hot hot!), two industry Pros, Falcon Group’s Exclusive Brent Corrigan and Nick Capra, will be putting on a SHOW (Caps needed), HustlaBall first timers Billy and Seth Santoro will have a special guest on stage. Also, Brian Bonds will be flagging Red for Hot Newcomer David Benjamin, and they are both Falcon Group Exclusives. NYC nightlife Sex Goddesses Daughters of Devotion with special guest Christian will be a sight. Cockyboys’ Tayte Hanson and Levi Karter. Need I say more? WOOF. Porn Sex Icon Jesse Santana and I, Boomer Banks, will be tearing up the stage… well, I’ll be tearing up something else. Leo Forte will be nothing less than Magic. Rentboy’s Best Bottom Killian James, Tyson Tyler , Duncan Black, Aleks Buldocek, Bravo Delta, Brock Rustin, Israel Oka, Max Cameron, Rouge Status, Champ Robinson and DaddyHunt Sex God Dirk Caber… I just blew my load saying all those names!!! My Boner Brigade for HustlaBall NYC is going to Turn out every onlooker and will be talked about for years to Cum!

Hustlaball, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Hustlaball

HustlaBall is known for its extravagant live shows, what are you and the team going to do to keep the crowd going?

This year, the lineup of DJs is out of control: MensRoom (Chicago), Luther (World Wide), and Donkey (NYC). I guarantee the crowd won’t stop moving to these beats. Accompanied with Ryan Rose’s Hot Body all over Colton Grey’s thick cock, Brent Corrigan and Nick Capra taking command. Mix in Some Sexy Daughters of Devotion NYC nightlife magic and Big Daddy Dirk Caber… If that’s not enough refer to question number 1.

This event takes place in 3 different locations, what makes NYC so special?

Sure, there’s Vegas and London, but there is NO place like NYC. The energy alone is incendiary! Columbus Day weekend is a huge party weekend for NYC alone, with us throwing in this Unique Super Sexy Musical of Live shows. We have what no one else has: The Ultimate Uniqueness.

Any surprise guests or unexpected things planned?

We have many past performers always showing up, but that’s what makes it a surprise, right? This year, we have some special guest hosting from Tommy Defendi, Austin and Tyler Wolf, Eli Lewis, Leo Sweetwood, Nubias and the Phenomenal Director of the Year and Porn Mom Mr. Pam hosting the VIP room.

What kind of booths are at Hustlaball?

As always we will have our Rentboy HustlaBall NYC photo booth with Dick Mitchell, and I’m excited to announce our DaddyHunt booth with Featured Daddy Hosts: Hot Hung Newcomer Rocco Steele, Dolf Dietrich, Cole and Hunter (Maverick Men) and Diesel Washington.

What is Boomer doing, or who is Boomer doing that night?

I am the Stage Daddy(mom)/Manager for this year’s HustlaBall, and this year, I brought out Industry favorite and Sex GOD Jesse Santana to plow the night away… BOOM!

Hustlaball, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Hustlaball

What is your overall hope for this?

I want this year’s  HustlaBall to embody the essence of NYC: a fairytale (satyr) Empire State of mind.

Sounds like a pretty fucking good time in my book, emphasis on the word fucking.  Tickets are still available via the official website, so make sure you stop by and enjoy yourself this Sunday night.  Guaranteed to have a great time.

Filed Under: LGBT, LIFESTYLE Tagged With: aleks buldocek, austin wolf, billy santoro, boomer banks, bravo delta, brent corrigan, brian bonds, brock rustin, champ robinson, cockyboys, colton grey, colubmus day, david benjamin, diesel washington, dirk caber, donkey, duncan black, eli lewis, hustlaball, israel oka, killian james, las vegas, leo forte, leo sweetwood, levi karter, luther, max cameron, mensroom, mr. pam, New York City, nick capra, nubias, NYC, rentboy, rocco steele, rogue status, ryan rose, sean van sant, seth santoro, tayte hanson, tyler wolf, tyson tyler

Get To Know The Tantalizing & Stunning Tony Orion

by Ryan Shea

Tony Orion, Manhattan Digest

 

Tony Orion, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Tony Orion

As someone who has interviewed many different types of entertainers in the past four or so years, I have rarely been nervous outside of meeting Jay-Z and working the MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet (the only carpet I will ever work.  Giggity).  Yet when I met up with burgeoning adult film star Tony Orion, I was quite the bit nervous.  Why?  Because he is super handsome and cute and I think that would make any gay man nervous.  Tony Orion has made quite the name for himself in the adult industry in a very short period of time, and has been able to transition himself as one of the top performers of 2014.  Working with the biggest studios in the industry such as Titan, Raging Stallion and Colt, Tony has established himself as one to lookout for and in doing so is the reason why I wanted to sit down with this beautiful lad before he got to big to chat with the cute cub from Long Island.

I recently chatted with the Brazilian stud, who recently moved from Chicago to New York City and now back to Chicago again about his beginnings in the industry, his freshening take on men of color & barebacking, and what he sees for himself both in and outside of it.  Take a look.

So you are a guy that was born in Brazil, made your way to Chicago and then New York City.  With all this geographical change, what made you want to get involved in the industry?

It was actually my ex boyfriend who got me into this while I was in Chicago.  We met last year and he was already in the industry, doing modeling and working at that point for a studio called Fort Troff.  While we were dating he asked me a bunch of times if I wanted to do movies, which was something that I never thought about doing at that point.  I liked being behind the camera, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to actually be in front of it.  So there actually became an opportunity for Fort Troff where his original scene partner didn’t show up and there was a vacancy which he then asked me to join him in.   We did the scene and it turned out to be a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be mainly because it came so natural as it was with the guy I was dating at that point, which made it that much more fun.

We came back home, and I came to the conclusion that this is something I want to further myself in.  So then I started sending applications to companies like Titan Men, Raging Stallion & Colt to name a few as I feel I represent those types of men.  Got callbacks and that is where everything started.  Within the first week I did two shoots for Raging Stallion and one for Titan Men, it was that quick.  I actually did a scene with Alessio Romero who turned out to be a good friend of mine in the long run.

During that point you were a Rentboy.  A lot of guys that I interviewed have had their own opinions on their experiences while doing that, did you like yours?

Honestly, no.  I mainly did it as it was something my ex boyfriend did so I felt it was good to have a healthy balance and do it with him.  After we broke up I came to the decision that it wasn’t something I wanted to do anymore and that was it.  It was more of a comfort level for me while I did it.  Don’t get me wrong, I got to meet a lot of nice and interesting people throughout, got to travel, see new places and network but ultimately it wasn’t really my thing.  Right now I am just keeping my porn work active and it is doing very well for me, and it is something I am enjoying very much. It is something that when you get into it you have to enjoy it, and down the line you have a great story to tell for someone to share it with.

Tony Orion, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Tony Orion

A big issue in the industry is that men of color aren’t treated on the same well as white man are, especially in the big studios.  What is your take on this?

I think its more about your personality, how you portray yourself, how you deal with people and ultimately leave an impression with them.  I am learning lately that everyone has a different personality all around, and for me I go where I fit.  If I get into a situation where I don’t feel comfortable or welcomed I am not going to try hard to fit in.  It is not who I am.  In the industry, there is a fit for everyone.  For instance,  I’m not Hot House type, but recently I worked with them for a fetish movie.  Why?  Because I have hair and a beard but their type is usually lean, American men with very clean features.  That is usually their type of men.  So I am not going to say never because it worked, but the boys with that type of body typically have more work.  That being said, it isn’t always about your body features, so I don’t think the question you asked really rings true in that setting.

You’ve done many great scenes in a short time frame, do you have a favorite?

Oh yeah.  It was this Colt scene with Dirk Caber.  I know Dirk way before I did porn because he used to live in Chicago before he moved to Boston.  We became very close and good friends, so when I went to do the scene with him in San Francisco for Colt the chemistry was already there and it made everything go by that much faster.  We were actually able to finish it in under an hour, so for me it was super hot not only because of the chemistry but because of how the director noticed that and complimented it.  It is always nice when the director simply says, “Nice Job”, it was one of the best feelings ever when that happens and that is really what the experience was with Dirk.  The cherry on top was right after the director tweeted, “Just directed the best scene of my life”.   Totally awesome.

I’ve asked a lot of other guys in the industry this question and am always curious to see the different answers that I get for this.  What is your take on the bareback evolution that is happening in the industry?

I would prefer to not do bareback in movies because I actually promote safe sex.  I think everyone has their own decisions in their personal lives, and I’m sure intimacy for many people have their options to bareback especially if the two people involved get tested together and make the decision that much easier for each other.  I know many people get off and love watching bareback scenes, for whatever reasons possible and point of views.  Personally, I like working with studios that promote safe sex.  Not because I think barebacking is wrong, but really it is just my own point of view on things.  I love working with Titan, Raging Stallions and Colt who do safe sex scenes.  I have friends who are starting to do barebacking with other studios, and if that is something they want to do then go for it.  Everyone has their own decisions about what they want to do with their work, and if it brings you to a level of maturity in this industry then do that.

Tony Orion, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Tony Orion

Is there a particular scene partner you would like to work with upcoming that you haven’t had yet?

I do actually.  Adam Killian is super hot and nice.  I saw him at The Grabby’s in Chicago this year and thinks he is flawless in the way he looks and talks.  I would love to work with Francois Sagat.  I know he doesn’t perform anymore but directs for Titan and his projects are so awesome.  The ideas he puts in the project and transforms them into being so sexually hot is mind blowing.  He did this one move for Titan called “Incubus” that he was part of visually directing.  He brought a ton of ideas to it and it was so different from what the norm is but it was so hot, like the kind of sex that people read about but never actually see on screen.  It was so easy to get off on it.

Outside of the industry what do you hope to accomplish?

I have a very creative mind and am taking classes for fashion at FIT.  I like fashion very much and like to put my creativity into things like the shirt I am wearing right now.  Everytime I have something that pops in my mind, I draw it.  Most of the time I enjoy the final things that I do, and it makes me happy and thinks that it can be something that can be sold to the masses so that is something that i am working on now.  I also gogo dance a lot, as well as a ton of other projects going on outside of porn that is in the works.  When you have to accomplish something that is very yours, you have to be patient.  It is not going to come easy.  I just moved to New York City in March, and I am not in a rush and going with the flow and seeing what happens.  There are millions of people who work here to get to where they are, that to me I just want to be part of this big mess of a crowd that are trying to find their goals.

Want to know more about Tony Orion?  Catch up with him on his social networking pages for more info!

Tony Orion’s Twitter

Tony Orion’s Facebook

Tony Orion’s YouTube (With a super cute rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”)

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, LGBT Tagged With: adam killian, colt studios, dirk caber, fort troff, manhattan digest, raging stallion studios, titan men, tony orion

Get To Know The Handsome & Intelligent Dirk Caber

by Ryan Shea

Dirk Caber, Manhattan Digest

Sometimes when you take one big one, you gotta get the other in there as well.  What do I mean?  Well after interviewing megastar Jesse Jackman for Manhattan Digest a couple of months ago, I was curious to know more about his other half.  I am talking about the uber sexy and devilishly handsome Dirk Caber, who has been partnered with Jesse for quite sometime now.  Being part of one of the gay adult industry’s super couples, they have drawn quite the following on their Facebook and Twitter pages, spotlighting many moments in their lives but also having a separate viewpoint in what is going on in and out of the industry.

I have been a big fan of Dirk’s for quite sometime now, even meeting him before a movie premiere back in May right here in New York City (loved the kilt btw).  So I wanted to sit down and get to know him more.  I recently sat down with the Boston hairy lad to discuss his take on his time in the industry, how he views being seen as a “daddy” in many scenes, his relationship with Jesse, and how music is playing a vital part of his life outside of the camera.  Take a look.

Dirk Caber, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Dirk Caber

Hi Dirk! So first question is super important- Chipotle or Moes?

I presume we’re talking about Moe’s Subs & Italian Sandwiches, the chain in New Hamprhsire? If so, the answer is NOT Chipotle!

Hehe. Now that is out of the way, let me ask you about your humongous success in the adult industry. How did you get your start?

I got involved in the BDSM scene in NYC many years ago, about the same time I started taking my physical health more seriously, lost a bit of weight and discovered that under that fat was muscle. Through the S&M world I made a number of good friends worldwide, one of whom turned out to be Paul Wilde, at that time director of the ROUGH line at Titan. He said that it was rare to find someone who knew their way around a length of rope and a flogger who also looked the part, and if I were interested, he’d he happy to have me at Titan. It took about two years for me to finally feel confident in myself enough physically to say “Let’s try it”, and even then figured I’d make one or two films and that would be the end of it. Four years later now, and some sixty films for some dozen studios, and I’m still going strong, much to my deep astonishment.

Many men (and women) start at a young age in their early 20’s. What made you start later on in life?

It’s when the possibility was first raised. First of all, as fat as I was in in my 20’s, I had an impossible time getting anyone to even think of me as physically desirable, let alone actually have sex with me. I certainly didn’t see myself as any sort of sexual being in those days; I was an intellectual and an artist, resigned to what I expected to be a fairly monkish life. I spent those days expecting a fairly ascetic future and hence working on other aspects of myself; this part of my life didn’t bloom until much later.

A lot of your scenes revolve around you being the “daddy”, especially your recent series with men.com. What’s your take on that? Do you embrace it?

It does make me chuckle. But then, I myself have always been attracted to more mature men; I generally dated guys ten years my senior. Even now at 43 I still find fit men ten and even twenty years older than me sexy; the key difference is that I’m now at a point where I can look at a guy appreciably younger than I am and still see a man and not a boy. I have one friend who’s in his mid-sixties now, still fit and viable and full of sex appeal. His take on aging is to keep yourself up physically, stay young at heart, and don’t do anything too stupid to yourself. The first and last I can take care of myself, but having younger friends certainly helps with keeping me young at heart too. Might be a daddy with silver in my beard and chest hair, but I’m certainly no old man!

You are partnered with the incredibly sexy and very smart Jesse Jackman. How did you guys meet?

Everyone thinks we met on set or something like that. We didn’t; a mutual friend, not in the industry, introduced us during Folsom weekend in San Francisco. He figured we’d make good friends, but I don’t think had any expectation that we’d hit it off THIS well, especially considering that we lived 850 miles apart at that point, he in Boston and me in Chicago. We’ve now been together for almost three years and lived together for well over a year; we’re going as strong as ever.

I’ve had his take on your relationship within the industry, but is it hard to maintain a healthy one when you are having sex on camera with other people?

It all depends on your own confidence in the relationship. Both of us were already in the industry when we met, so it’s not like it was a later conundrum to have to deal with. We’re both highly sexual creatures, and we both understand sex as an expression of affection beyond just the “one and only”. We have sex with each other as partners, we both have sex with friends outside of that, often together, sometimes separately. I indicated when we first formalized the relationship that I’d a few friends with whom the relationship was more than amicable, it was sexual, and I wasn’t prepared to lessen those connections merely because “I gotta boyfriend now.” It’s because Jesse and I know full well that we come first in each others hearts that fucking around with someone else we’re close with and trust becomes essentially as un-threatening as having coffee with them. We have only one rule, as I’m sure he mentioned as well: “Never bring home anything you wouldn’t want to share.” If you think about it, it’s really amazing how applicable that is on so many levels to a relationship. Beyond that, the whole trick to staying connected is to communicate (always my challenge, quiet guy I tend to be) and to stay absolutely honest with each other.

But that’s just the open relationship aspect. Going back to the industry, the misconception everyone seems to hold is that this is what we do, that we daily go into the office (the ‘orafice’? LOL), fuck some other guy, and walk home with our paycheck. In fact neither of us is in the studio more than a couple times a month at the most, and sometimes not at all for months at a go. If that paucity of extraneous sex were the biggest challenge our relationship were burdened with, we’d consider ourselves very lucky indeed.

Finally, we’ve all seen porn couple after porn couple split as one retires or one’s career outpaces the others. Indeed, colleagues warned me and Jesse against getting together, as they’d seen how jealousy, not necessarily sexual but in fact also professional, so often can ruin such relationship. I know only a few porn couples well so my expertise here is admittedly limited, but those I know tend to be, like us, relatively stable, and I think for the same reasons we believed we’d be successful. Porn is not a long-term avocation, and hence not something which as a commonly-held bond for a couple can be counted on more than a few years. Jesse and I recognized far more shared interests and commonalities, from the importance of our families and “day” careers, arts, fitness, and friends to a shared nerdy geekiness, senses of humor that are either cracker dry or kneejerk whiplash puns, passions for music, gadgets, and sci-fi films. And knowing that porn is an ebb-and-flow prospect, we do enjoy taking turns supporting the other when one’s on the wax and the other’s on the wane. It makes us even more of a team.

Dirk Caber, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Titan Men

Speaking of the industry, what is your take on it now? With the evolution of web-only content seeming to exceed DVD sales, do you think the overall landscape of it has changed?

Decidedly! And in more ways than we really have space to delve into here. Nearly all the older larger studios have had to revamp the way they actually produce content as well as how they release it to keep up with the change of technology and hence how we consume our porn. This is hardly the first time this industry has undergone such growing pains; studios had to retool themselves with the advent of videotapes when people started watching at home instead of in theaters, and again when DVD came along and people could more easily fast forward through non-sex content, for instance.

Also, now that we’re more able to afford a camera and some lights to film and post to the internet for general consumption, it’s no longer just a few large studios producing content using equipment and dissemination resources beyond the means of any smaller pornographer. This leads to the springing up of smaller studios already based on the newer internet-based and single-scene-oriented studio model which has become so predominant today; many are coming to produce truly polished content certainly coming to approximate what the larger studios have always been able to produce. Conversely, this ability to afford the camera and the ability to post online has caused an explosion of free online content. Some of these home videos are okay, of course, but much of it might be characterized as “two fat guys out of focus in a badly lit room fucking on a flowered duvet.” At the moment I know there’s a lot of motion in the world that, irrespective of the quality of the content, if it’s there for free, why pay for it somewhere else? The problem is that this means less revenue for the studios, which means less production and less incentive for performers to be at the top of their game. When, as I suspect will happen, there’s a backlash against the cheap free content online and a desire to return to a more polished product, I hope these studios are still around and able to oblige.

Who did you look up to in the industry growing up?

I’ll confess I didn’t pay it much attention. At the time I would have written that off to “not being a sexual creature”, but I now understand that it’s more than that. I need more than just the visual stimulation to find a situation hot; I need the smells, the tastes, the physical contact, the connection. Porn is essentially limited to a visual medium, meaning that much the same way I can appreciate when a woman is truly beautiful without feeling any urge to get her undressed, porn usually left me tumescent. That said, I’d met a few porn stars with whom I’d made a connection, rarely sexual, but which certainly have left a positive mark on me. Mike Dreyden was my boyfriend for over a year and is still a treasured friend. Through Mike I met Alessio Romero who when I later entered the industry was such a help and support and is also a very close friend. I had a splendid conversation one night outside of View Bar in NYC with Alex Baresi who I think is still one of the sweetest men ever. Heh, I’m thinking hard, and I know I’ve got further industry friends whom I’d met before I started and while they were current, but because I know them now outside the industry, I forget that that’s how I first came across them.

Are there any active stars that you would love to do a scene or two with?

Let’s see, in ten minutes how many can I think of, no particular order? Among my friends I have yet to work with: Samuel Colt, Rogan Richards, Brock Rustin, Seven Dixon, Marcus Issacs, Tomas Brand and his partner Logan Rogue (together!), Ale Tedesco, Hans Berlin, Draven Torres, Jaxton Wheeler, Boomer Banks, Felix Barca, Paddy O’Brian, Paul Steele and his pup Aleks Buldocek, JR Matthews, Jake Bolton, Yohann Banks, Seth Fornea (if he ever actually wanted to do porn), Cutler X and his partner Adam Russo, Isaac Jones, Damien Stone, Austin Wolf and his partner Tyler Wolf, Boyhaus, Dolf Dietrich, Cylus Kohen. Guys I don’t know yet or only know virtually and would love to work with: Alex Marte, Kris Irons, Justin King, Kip Ryker, Marco Wilson, Edji da Silva, Frank Valencia, Rok Rangel, Jean Franko, Dani Robles, David Benjamin, Brock Hatcher, Ben Statham, Josh Long. And alas, I think some of these guys are “retired” now, but I’ve really wanted to work with Heath Jordan, Kyle King, Byron Green, Jon Galt and his partner Vic Rocco, Josh West (again) and his partner Peter Axel, and Derek Parker. It’s a source of sadness that I so often shared a set with Wilfried Knight and yet never got to actually work with him. And of course this doesn’t include all the great guys I’ve worked with already and would happily work with again.

Besides the industry, what else are you working on now that our readers should know about?

I’m always working on music; now that I’ve finished a few others there are two large musical projects I’m just about to undertake about which I’m particularly enthused. I’m still hunting for more regular work beyond my freelance music income. I’ve had a few health issues to address, mostly things that happen to guys my age and nothing like what my partner has been through in the last several months, but things which have still required a little attention. I’m still adjusting to living in Boston and making friends here, but I’m happy to be back close to my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews. Planning some travel, to London and Berlin with my buddy Dolan Wolf in September, and possibly a return to London with Jesse in November. Other than that, Jesse and I are happily building our life together.

Dirk Caber, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Dave Ouano Photography

What are you ultimately hopeful for in the future?

I’d presume there will be a day when I’ll be happy to hang up my pornographical laurels, hopefully before they begin to wilt, and return to a civilian life. I’ll stop worrying about maintaining my abs, and allow my torso to resume the “muscle bear” shape it gravitates towards; I’ll be able to concentrate completely on music as my total life and keeping my family and man close. Maybe that day is next month, maybe it’s ten years from now—I’ve no idea at the moment. Meanwhile I’m enjoying what I’m doing and guys still seem to enjoy watching. I’m not getting younger, so I may as well do it while I can.

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Filed Under: LGBT Tagged With: alessio romero, dirk caber, jaxton wheeler, jesse jackman, jr matthews, manhattan digest, mike dreyden, paddy o'brien, rogan richards, samuel colt, san francisco, seven dixon, titan, titan media, tomas brand

Jesse Jackman- Brilliant Mind Beyond the Aesthetic

by Ryan Shea

Jesse Jackman, Manhattan Digest

I think mainly anyone can tell you that something that is a big factor in finding someone attractive is not only their looks but really if they have a good brain to back it up.  Jesse Jackman is a good example of that.  Not only is he a rugged, handsome and all around sexy as f kind of a man, but he also is a fellow writer who dishes out quality op-ed’s for the world to see and engage in.  One of the biggest names in the adult industry, and a current XBiz nominee for Gay Performer Of The Year, has truly made a name for himself both in and out of the industry.  He and his boyfriend, fellow adult film star Dirk Caber, are the biggest porn couple out there right now, are at the forefronts of many of their fans minds and khaki inseams with their ongoing posts, travels and opinions about themselves and the community around them.  I got the chance to sit down with Mr. Jackman himself, to get a better idea of who he is not only as the star that many of us have come to know but really the man behind the lens, something that is often lost in this type of industry.  Take a look.

Let’s take this back before you became a well known figure.  At what age were you when you discovered you were gay and what was the process in coming out?

I think I always knew I was “different” somehow, but I didn’t really figure out I was gay until I hit puberty and started eyeing the other boys in junior high school instead of the girls. I didn’t date anyone when I was in my teens; I was too afraid to come out as gay, and dating women just didn’t feel right. So all through high school and college I chose to throw myself into my studies rather than owning and exploring my sexuality.

I finally came out when I was 20 and wrote a letter to an openly gay teacher who had spoken to my high school class at an assembly several years earlier. He was the only flesh-and-blood connection I’d ever seen to the gay world, and the only person I could think of to reach out to. I didn’t think he’d write back, but he did, and his letter was incredibly supportive. He encouraged me to tell a someone I trusted and didn’t think would be judgmental. I took his advice and told my best friend. It went wonderfully; in fact, it deepened our friendship considerably because I didn’t have to hide that part of me anymore (although he suspected I might be gay because I never dated anyone). I gradually told more and more of my friends over the next couple of years, and they were all really accepting. I think my favorite reaction came from one of my college friends about a year after we graduated: All he said was, “That’s cool… what’s for lunch?” and that was the end of it. Even my parents were supportive. I had thought that coming out would be this huge dramatic affair, but in fact it all went wonderfully. I finally started dating just before I turned 23.

Did you find it much harder to come out back then compared to how much easier and accepted it is to come out now?

I think that depends a lot the situation. Generally I’d say that it’s easier now than it was 20 years ago, but I still hear lots of horror stories from young gay men and women who were beaten up by their peers or thrown out by their families. I was very lucky; I grew up in a very liberal state (Massachusetts) in a great family with supportive friends… but I know people that people in other states, countries, and circumstances aren’t nearly as fortunate. One of the reasons I wrote my first Huffington Post article, “We Must  (Not) Surrender” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-jackman/we-must-not-surrender_b_4220188.html), was to help LGBT victims of bullying and intimidation understand that they are not alone.

What has been your experience as a whole in the gay community?  Where do you think that we excel at and where do you think we can improve on?

I find the gay community to be a bit fractured. For example, Dirk and I live in a traditionally lesbian neighborhood; there are also traditionally gay (male) neighborhoods in Boston, and the two communities don’t interact much. I see similar divides just within the male community. The idea of “classifications” of gay men (circuit boys, bears, otters, twinks and so on) always bothered me a bit, especially when people in one category segregate themselves from those in other groups. I’ve found HIV status to be a big dividing line, too. I’m proud that my friends come in all different shades of gender, appearance, sexuality, and status.

It seems to me that it either takes a cause (Stonewall, marriage equality) or a crisis (AIDS) to really unite the LGBT community… and when we do unite, we’re one of the strongest social forces on earth. I wish we could learn to be more unified all the time, not just when faced with adversity.

Credit to: Jesse Jackman
Credit to: Jesse Jackman

How did you get your start in the industry?

There is one guy in particular, Roman Wright, who got me into making porn. But first a little back-story: Over July 4th weekend in 2011 I met Hunter Marx, a Titan model, and his partner Ethan Anders in Saugatuck, Michigan. They were hot. We fucked around a lot had a ton of fun… so much so that I started idly wondering if what we did might be reproducible in front of a camera. A week later, back in Boston, I happened to run into the aforementioned Roman, an old friend, and half-jokingly asked him if he thought I could work in porn (with no serious intent to ever do it, despite my curiosity). He said he thought I could, but that I shouldn’t. Roman knows me pretty well, and thought I wouldn’t deal well with the inevitable criticism that comes with public performance. (He was ultimately right: I try very hard not to read reviews of my scenes because I take negative criticism rather personally.)

Roman flew home to San Francisco the next day. Then, out of the blue, I got a message on Facebook from a guy I’d never heard of named Patrick Finger:

 

Hi Jesse,

 

I handle casting for Titan Media. I’m standing here with Roman Wright and he’s telling me that you’d like to work with us. You’re a great looking guy. Are you interested?

 

Patrick

Oh, that Roman. I guess I’d been putting off a pretty strong vibe that, subconsciously, I really did want to work in the industry… or Roman figured he’d at least arrange for the opportunity and let me make up my own damn mind. Anyway, I told Patrick I’d think about it. After about two weeks of soul-searching I finally decided that if I didn’t at least try it, I would always wonder what it was like. I filled out the model application and emailed it in. Less than three hours later I got a message back from Patrick saying that everything looked good and that Titan would love to work with me. We spoke on the phone the next day, and within a couple of weeks I flew to San Francisco to film my first scene – with Hunter Marx, the Titan Man from Saugatuck, of all people! – for my first TitanMen film, Surveillance. I eventually got to shoot a scene with Roman too, a flip scene in Command Performance.

What do you think is the biggest misconception of the adult industry?

Unfortunately, a common misconception among the general public is that porn stars are one-dimensional, or are in porn because we’re somehow “damaged,” or even that we’re all drug addicts who turn to porn as a last resort. People are often surprised to find out that I have a day job. Most of us do! I’ve met actors who are personal trainers, weather forecasters, investment bankers, stock brokers, artists, massage therapists, Broadway dancers… my husband Dirk is an accomplished classical musician! The fact is that there are many well-rounded, well-adjusted, fascinating people in the industry who are simply doing it to add some spice to their lives and earn a little pocket money in the process.

By the way, my regular employer is totally fine with my little side career. It’s actually an interesting story; you can read about it at http://jessejackman.xxx/2012/10/15/adversity-advocacy-and-affirmation.

For anyone that is looking to get into it, what advice do you have?

I wrote about this extensively on my blog in a post called “So You Think You Can Fuck” (http://jessejackman.xxx/2013/02/27/so-you-think-you-can-fuck), but here’s the summary: First, decide why you want to be in the industry. You should do it because you want to, not because you need to; it’s not a career, and you can’t rely on getting steady work. There might be periods of time when you’re filming every week, but there will also be dry spells that last for months. Also consider whether your family, friends, and employer will be okay when they find out you make porn (which they will). Reach out to studios that match your look and attitude; if you’re a heavily-muscled, hairy, tattooed cigar smoker, don’t apply to a company that makes twink porn! (The guys at Titan, however, would love to hear from you for their Titan Rough series.) And when you do apply, be honest. Don’t lie about your stats or your level of experience. Don’t send airbrushed or Photoshopped pictures; the studios would rather see the raw material they have to work with, not an artist’s rendition of it. Finally, know that if you ever film a bareback scene, you’ll be automatically excluded from working with some of the largest studios out there, including Titan, COLT, and others.

Jesse Jackman, Dirk Caber, Manhattan Digest
Credit to: Jesse Jackman

 

Let’s talk about your relationship with Dirk for a second.  How did you guys meet and how long did it take for you to be in a full blown relationship?

I was introduced to Dirk by a very close friend in September of 2011. I was new to the industry, and my friend thought that Dirk, who’d already been in the industry for over a year, would be a good “big brother” to me as I started to learn the ropes. I’d already seen Dirk in TitanMen’s Sting, which I watched while doing research for Surveillance. (Hunter Marx, my Surveillance scene partner, was also in Sting and I wanted to learn more about what would turn him on.) Our connection was immediate and strong and very sexual, and we actually hooked up the same night I met him. We worked side-by-side at the Titan booth during the 2011 Folsom Street Fair, and we stayed in touch afterwards, talking and texting almost daily. He lived in Chicago at the time, so we weren’t sure that a long-distance relationship would work, but after a couple of trips to see each other, we realized that our chemistry was too amazing not to give it a try. By Halloween we considered ourselves a couple; at Thanksgiving we met each other’s families; and on Christmas day we made it “official” in the way that it’s done these days: by changing our Facebook relationship statuses. That last step came as little surprise to our friends; by that time the general consensus was “Well, duh!”

After another year of doing the long-distance thing, we decided the time was right to move in together. Dirk started planning his relocation to Boston, and we finally moved in together at the end of May 2013. Everything’s going great so far… although we have more furniture than we know what to do with.

I read a post you did for HuffPo detailing how you guys are open but there are rules to it.  Seeing as open relationships tend to be very judged in this community, how do you respond to people who think that relationships should be strictly monogamous?

To each their own. I have no problem with monogamy; if it works for you, go for it! Although Dirk and I have found that an open relationship is a good fit for us, I’d never judge anyone for being in a monogamous relationship. Similarly, I would hope that monogamy-oriented people don’t judge our open one. Dirk sums it up very elegantly: “To paraphrase Ingrid Bergman in Cactus Flower, they can go to their church and we’ll go to ours.”

Seeing as both of you are well known inside the industry, what hurdles do you face when it comes to not being on camera and being in the real world?

We have our share of trials, successes, and failures, just like all couples do. I’d say that the biggest challenge so far has been adjusting to living together. I’ve never lived with a partner before, and Dirk only did so very briefly when he lived in New York, so it’s a big change for both of us. We’re in each other’s space a lot. Fortunately we have a pretty big house, which we’ve set up so that each of us has a room where we can just shut the door and focus on whatever we need to. Dirk, who is of Scottish descent, even has a sign on his door (which I gave him) that says “Scottish Territory: No Trespassing!”

Jesse Jackman, HuffPo, Manhattan Digest, Dirk Caber
Credit to: Jesse Jackman

 

Outside of the industry, you have a lot going on for yourself including being a big time blogger.  How did you score the HuffPo gig and what is your mission statement when you write for them?

The Huffington Post gig came about as an unexpectedly amazing result of a very challenging time. In October of 2013 I posted a (G-rated) photo on Facebook of Dirk and me sharing a kiss. Although I’d posted plenty of pictures like that before, for some reason this particular one got a lot of negative comments, from the mild (“Ew, gross!”) to the overtly threatening (“All faggots must die”). One person even threatened to shoot me. And then, without warning, Facebook deleted my photo and banned me from posting for 12 hours, claiming that the photo had “violated community standards.” I immediately contacted several industry blogs to draw attention to the situation, and my story also drew the attention of several mainstream media outlets, including newspapers in several countries, a television station in San Francisco, and the Huffington Post’s Technology section. Shortly after the HuffPost article was published, Facebook quietly restored my photo (along with all the comments, even the harassing ones) without offering me any direct explanation.

A few days later, the editor of HuffPost’s Gay Voices section contacted me to ask if I’d be interested in writing about my experience during the whole incident. I agreed, and spent three weeks writing an op-ed piece that not only provided a recap of the events, but also explained why it was important for Dirk and me to stand up to the harassment and threats we’d received. I guess the HuffPost editors liked what they read; after the article was published, to my surprise they provided me with a regular contributor’s account. I’ve since written two additional articles (one on safe sex and another on gay marriage) and will be contributing more in the future. You can read all my articles at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-jackman.

I feel like working in the adult film industry gives me a unique perspective; I hope that sharing my experiences in the industry and beyond will make some small difference. For example, a future article will discuss the importance of, and controversy surrounding, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV exposure. I’ve found that a lot of gay men don’t know about PEP and PrEP, so I see this as a valuable opportunity to get the word out about these revolutionary therapies.

Credit to: Jesse Jackman
Credit to: Jesse Jackman

 

What are your hopes and goals for 2014 and beyond?

My life just keeps getting better as I get older. My only wish is for the trend to continue.

Stay up to date with Jesse by following him on Facebook and his fantastic blog.  Best of luck to him in the future!

Filed Under: LIFESTYLE Tagged With: Coming out, dirk caber, huffpo, jesse jackman, Manhattan, manhattan digest, roman wright

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