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hookie awards

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

The 2015 Hookies March 20th- Who Should Win And Why

by Ryan Shea

The Hookies, Rentboy, Manhattan Digest

The Oscars, The Grammys, The Tonys, The Emmys.  All important award shows for most people.  But if you are in the Rentboy industry, all of those combined equal one thing- The Hookies.  Yes, Rentboy’s 9th Annual Hookie Awards are coming up on March 20th right here in New York City at BPM on West 42nd between 10th and 11th Avenue.  As the Rentboy industry keeps getting bigger, better and bolder (see interview with Rentboy’s very own Hawk Kinkaid right here), it makes sense that this award show continues to grow in popularity in and out of the community.  This year’s awards are hosted by Rupaul’s Drag Race legend (and American Apparel Ad Girl) Alaska Thunderfuck as well as comedian Brad Loekle.  The awards given out are basically to describe who is the best of the best in the Rentboy world- from Best Massage, Best Social Media, Best Cock and so on and so forth.

As myself and the Manhattan Digest community have divulged in several active and well known Rentboy’s in the past on our site, it makes sense that we give our two cents as to who should win particular categories on March 20th.  Essentially this is who we endorse as we believe their body of work suits them winning these fabulous trophies and putting them on hopefully a larger scale not only as Rentboys but in their professional worlds as well.  The three categories we are dissecting are Best Porn Star, Best Boyfriend Fantasy, and Mr. International Escort 2015.  The latter is determined by winner’s in areas of the world that include Mr. New York but also include Los Angeles, Florida, San Francisco, Chicago, Canada, Spain, U.K. and France.  Tight competition in that if I must say so myself. Here is who we think should win.

The Hookies, Rentboy, Manhattan Digest, Killian James
Credit to: KIllian James

Best Boyfriend Fantasy- Killian James

Killian James is easy on the eyes for sure, and has made his name in the Rentboy industry fast by winning his first ever award last year for Best Bottom when he was barely involved at that point in time.  Clearly, he is on to something which means his fans agree that he’s got the whole package and then some (look at the ass folks).  Whereas I don’t necessarily understand how you choose someone for Best Boyfriend Fantasy, Killian exemplifies that All-American look that many a man would love to have as a boyfriend for whatever reason possible.

Killian has this to say his experience in the industry- ” I got my start very grass roots. Traveling around the country and building up client bases in various cities. During that time I amassed A+ reviews from multi- time escort reviewers. I pride myself on providing Grade A client service and truth in advertising. I truly enjoy what I do, and label myself as “An Escort who does Porn”.

Get to know more about Killian here.

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

Best Pornstar Escort- Boomer Banks

As much as The Hookies are known for it being about Rentboys, there are also the dual ones who split being actual Rentboys and also being kings of the adult industry.  Boomer Banks is a great example of how to do both.  Last year’s win for Mr. International 2014, Boomer has climbed the ranks in both industries, and has had quite the banner year since he won last March.  Someone with great style, sophistication and a great eye for what he is doing, he keeps fans wanting more with each movie he makes and also reigns supreme when it comes to his depth and interactions on his social media accounts.

Boomer had this to add: “I’ve always loved the number 3 and coincidentally that is the number of nominations I have this year.  I’m happy to be nominated for Best Porn Star Escort as well as best Style as that is a passion of mine as well.  I’ve worked very hard this past year in the industry as well on social media to make my fans proud so let’s bring home the bacon on Hookies night.”

Get to know more about Boomer here.

Rocco Steele, Manhattan Digest, The Hookies, Rentboy
Credit to: Nicholas Smit

Mr. International 2015- Rocco Steele

Is there anyone who had a bigger (pun intended) year than Rocco Steele?  The man came from out of nowhere in both the Rentboy industry as well as the adult industry and has had many people talking throughout about the gorgeous specimen that Rocco really is.  Humble in his approach yet enigmatic on screen and in his reviews, Rocco exemplifies what it means to be Mr. International as he really has made himself a well known household name in a very short period of time.

Rocco had this to add about winning the title- ” This year has been a whirlwind year for me…I’ve traveled the world and worked hard to give my fans what they want. If I win Mr. International it’s not just a win for me it’s a win for us.

Get to know more about Rocco here.

If you are in town the night of March 20th please feel free to stop by BPM and experience The Hookies to see who wins!  Who knows, you may find something you like and want to investigate further upon arrival.  For more information about The Hookies, check out their official site.

 

Filed Under: LGBT Tagged With: 2015 hookies, alaska, Alaska thunderfuck, boomer banks, hookie awards, killian james, rocco steele, rupauls drag race

Fun and Debauchery at The Black Party Weekend

by Ryan Shea

Credit to: Dan Demello Public Relations

 

New York City itself is known for being a prime area for some of the best events in the world.  That rings true especially for events geared towards the gay community.  The Black Party weekend is one of those annual events that bring men from around the world for a weekend of excitement, dancing, interesting wardrobe choices and above all a unique experience that you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

Hosted at the legendary Roseland Ballroom, the Black Party Weekend starts on Friday night and doesn’t end until around Sunday afternoon.  If you are into something that is a little outside of the norm, this is the event for you.  Leather and gear enthusiasts are rampant at all of the events, as well as some of the most known names in the gay adult industry.

It starts out on Friday night around 7PM with the Black Party Expo.  This gets the weekend going, with several different vendors promoting their fascinating lines.  Whether it is a gay app that is hot right now (Recon, Mister), the best M4M night in the world (Adonis), or some of the biggest gay adult websites online right now (Cocky Boys, Lucas Entertainment) there was something for everyone there.  It was set up with a fantastic light display that encompassed the look of a Ferris Wheel.  It was something that I could definitely tell was going to be in heavy use for the party itself.

That same night was where The Hookie awards took place.  This event was designed for rentboy.com, a site devoted to the personal enjoyment of a fellow gentleman.  Hosted by Rupaul’s Drag Race season 4 winner Sharon Needles and comedian Cole Escada, the awards were presented in full to some well known names in the adult industry (Austin Wolff, Trenton Ducati, Rafael Alencar) and some of the biggest members on Rentboy.  Some of the presenters included well known journalists like Paper Magazine Editor-In-Chief Mr. Mickey and Village Voice writer Michael Musto.  The awards itself had some really great names to them (Best Top, Best Boyfriend Fantasy, etc) and above all everyone seemed to have a great time.  Sharon and Cole did an amazing job themselves, and as a personal fan of Sharon’s it was great to see her perform live and prove why she won season 4.

The next days events were similar to Friday nights.  There was an extended version of the expo that lasted from 12-7pm, so if you weren’t able to make it there Friday you had all day to see what the vendors were selling and get to meet and greet some of your favorite stars.  Saturday night is what everyone was there for- The Black Party.  I had a ton of friends who went, and said they had a great time.  Some really unique performances took place but above all the music kept everyone going through the night into Sunday morning.

If you ever get a chance to have a once in a lifetime experience and you are local or visiting the New York City area, stop by next year’s Black Party weekend.  It is one that you don’t want to miss!

Filed Under: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE, NEW YORK, U.S. Tagged With: austin wolff, black party, black party expo, black party weekend, hookie awards, mister, mister mickey, New York City, NYC, paper magazine, recon, rentboy, roseland ballroom, sharon needles, trenton ducati, village voice

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