Playgirl Anniversary Man Comes Out in Advocate

[SmallTownJohn]

Hey guys,

 

Never really read too many gay themed magazines but I do take my partners advice when he sees an article I'd like after purchasing his regular "homo three"(Attitude, Unzipped & Advocate) The Advocate has a cover story on Canadian Scott Merritt's coming out. He is a guy who posed in Playgirl's June issue as their 30th Anniversary Man. Besides being a total knockout, Merritt discusses coming out, his young daughter and the relationship with her mother. All three I can relate to BIG TIME. I just hope my child, like Scott's, would be comfortable enough to walk up to her school buddies and say, "My daddy like boys."

 

Supposedly, this is the first time that Playgirl didn't go bezerk when a model came out. The article says the magazine has a dont ask, dont tell policy. They don't want to burst female fantasies. But Playgirl is beginning to acknowledge that they really do have a large gay readership.

 

During his photo shoot for Playgirl, the editors told him not to use Viagra since it would make his eyelids droop for the all important "hard shot".(I didn't know they had a hard shots but hell, I grew up whacking off to guys banging chicks in Hustler. What was a young redneck to do? lol) So I had to belly laugh at the paragraph:

 

"Not knowing that Merritt was gay, the editors offered him a huge stack of Swank magazines and sent him behind a privacy screen. Swank is a down-market porn magazine for heterosexual men with flexible standards of female beauty"

 

Is that a PC way of saying that Swank is full of skank?

 

Anyway, I salute him for valuing his relationship with his child and making a statement regardless of the reprucussions.

 

 

That makes him truly "hot" in my eyes.

 

 

Later,

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[+ deej]

That sentence about Swank is *priceless*! LOL

 

Times have changed quite a bit. Playgirl's editors FREAKED when Doug Shaefer (?) came out after being named Man of the Year. But they've sorta been loosening up ever since dropping the slogan "Entertainment for Women" from the cover.

 

And yes, they do hardon shots. They haven't always. They've been through "conservative" periods.

 

But they do go out of their way to create fantasy. I laughed when they ran a photo of Talvin DeMachio with the caption "Tall, Dark & Handsome". I'll give him dark & handsome, but I wouldn't call 5'5" tall. LOL

[woodlawn]

>The Advocate has a cover story on Canadian Scott

>Merritt's coming out. He is a guy who posed in Playgirl's June

>issue as their 30th Anniversary Man.

 

Yes, I saw that story. It made me wonder why the oldest gay newsmagazine would put on its cover a man whose only major achievement is posing nude in Playgirl. Are there no gays or lesbians in America who've done anything more interesting or important than that?

 

How about a picture of the team of lawyers who won before the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas? Can anyone here tell me the name of any of them (without looking it up)?

[SmallTownJohn]

LOL,

 

It's nice to see that once again Woodlawn has something positive and uplifting to contribute<g>

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[Guest]

>

> I just hope my child, like Scott's, would be

>comfortable enough to walk up to her school buddies and say,

>"My daddy like boys."

>

 

He might be more comfortable telling his buddies "My daddy likes men." If he tells them "My daddy likes boys," they might be a little afraid.

[SmallTownJohn]

You guys kill me lol...I always love the creepiness of this board.

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[+ Lucky]

Well, it takes one to know one! As long as you are passing out insults...

Personally, I am on the same page as woodie here. Posing nude gets you on the cover? Why? And a Playgirl model coming out of the closet is about as surprising as HotnyStudRyan bumping one of his travel threads!

[Guest DevonSFescort]

>Posing nude gets you on the cover? Why?

 

Well, it's worked for me a few times on this site... }( And I have a feeling The Advocate picks its coverpersons on more or less the same basis HooBoy has said he picks his -- whoever they think will sell the most papers. By featuring a Playgirl model on the cover -- and his previous experience being on magazine covers should not be overlooked -- The Advocate may well have insured that more people picked up that issue so as to end up reading their particular take on the Supreme Court decision than would have if the victorious legal team had been featured on the cover.

 

It's also worth pointing out that the interview with the centerfold is actually a more unique selling point for The Advocate than a story about the Supreme Court decision, which interested gay readers could read about, oh, ANYWHERE, and read enough stories to be bored with the subject before the Advocate even hit the newstands. There are comparatively fewer places to go for an in-depth interview with the Playgirl centerfold -- and though I don't kid myself that this figured too heavily into the editors' decision, I would suggest there IS something at least mildly interesting, if only as a cultural phenomenon, about a gay model whose primary audience is straight women. At least interesting enough to clear what is, after all, a fairly low bar -- that of being deemed coverboy-worthy.

[Guest gentle guy]

Pesonal observation

 

>Well, it's worked for me a few times on this site... }(

 

Now that you mention it, Devon, I would like to point out that your latest avatar image (the photo that appears with your posts) is incredibly HOT. :9

 

Just making a slightly tangential observation... ;-)

[+ Lucky]

Well, of course you are right, Devon. I should not suppose that the Advocate can survive if it does not primarily market as a sex rag. I haven't read it in years, so I guess I am not helping them any.

[SmallTownJohn]

Listen, I just made a simple post about relating to one guy being a young gay dad(like myself) That's all... nothing more. But still because you guys are bored or you just think everything mentioned here requires a negative input, it's completely turned around.

 

I think its so sad to see first time posters have to preface their initial posts with some type of apology for barging in on your board.

 

I could care less if the message board were here. Hooboy provides this space free of charge for you guys to sit around and swap pix or pick apart everything that is said here line by line. I guess it gives you some type of power in your lives. Beats the hell out of me lol

 

As long as you get the facts correct, ladies, rock on lol...destroy all that moves! I don't care why the dude posed or why The Advocate didn't choose your life story to print. As long as this site focuses on m4m reviews, all is cool by me.

 

There will always be bitchy old queens who give lurkers something to read:0)

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[Flower]

Don't let the bastards grind ya down John.

 

Being able to share your gay life with your daughter is cool and probably something many here can't do or identify with. You've mentioned her before and it's nice that you are so proud of her. And having her accept you as a gay father is important--but again, probably have to be there to understand.

 

I had business in Denver not long ago and since my daughter lives near there for school, I invited her to dinner. She knew I was staying with a close gay friend and it made me very proud of her when she suggested he join me for dinner with her and her boy friend. Btw, she did tell her boyfriend that her daddy likes bois--lol.

 

Sometimes, it's the small things in life that give us happiness. ;-)

[VaHawk]

>I think its so sad to see first time posters have to preface

>their initial posts with some type of apology for barging in

>on your board.

 

Well, this is not a place for wussies by any means. If they choose to preface their initial posts with some type of apology, then they really need to go to the Purple Barney Bangs Betty Rubble site, where "I love/fuck you and You love/fuck me". Why are you trashing the regular posters for the temerity and lack of balls from a first time poster? After all, all of us were first time posters, and all of us have trashed, bullied and insulted and received the same in return. If you want to dish it out on an internet board but can't take it in return, then you should just stay away.

>

>I could care less if the message board were here. Hooboy

>provides this space free of charge for you guys to sit around

>and swap pix or pick apart everything that is said here line

>by line. I guess it gives you some type of power in your

>lives. Beats the hell out of me lol

 

LOL at you in return, dude. Can't speak for the other regular posters, but I could not care less if you never post here again in the message center. Yeah, we all get a big ego boost and have supernatural powers endowed upon us in our lives from posting here. I guess you do the same as you post here also.

 

I do believe HB also provides this space free of charge for you and other escorts to come here and advertise and sell your services, no? I would suggest that if you have this attitude that you limit your postings to the travel section, as negative comments will not win you any business from the regular posters here or those who lurk here on a regular basis.

>

>As long as you get the facts correct, ladies

>

>There will always be bitchy old queens who give lurkers

>something to read:0)

 

Well aren't you being offensive today?! I guess if you have nothing else to back up your point of view, you can always resort to the tired cliches by calling the regular posters on this board, ladies and bitchy old queens.

 

IMO this post by you is HIGHLY OFFENSIVE and you may find that those who have bookings with you cancel them and that those who were considering booking an appointment with you will forget about doing so.

 

Well, I for one, feel like an idiot believing that you possessed one character only to find that it was a false portrayal of your true feelings. You have always been positive and helpful with advice in your previous posts, so this post is truly an eye opener. Thanks for letting us all know your true feelings.

[SmallTownJohn]

No sirs,

 

Once again you missed my point entirely and everyone's running with ball. The same guys repeatedly come on here drunk or unmedicated or pissed off at the world or whatever and run their mouths negatively. And I'm going to set you straight when you interpret MY POSTS incorrectly. That's all. Now whatever assumptions you want to make in your mind are yours. I'm not kissing anyone's ass. The majority of my clients are not posters on this board. Truth be told, I've had more folks tell me how silly most of these concversations are than productive. Its just negative bitch after negative bitch. You guys find fault in everything. Its like its your job to attack everything or everybody.lol

 

My clients are businessmen who want to have a good, relaxed time. They're adults who don't spend every waking moment trying to pick apart posts on some board in cyberspace. They have lives!

 

But I love how these random handles in cyberspace are your best friends in the world. Get out... Have some fun! Go on a real date! Make some new pals in the flesh! Check out the zoo! lol You guys gotta snap back into reality & be a little humane to your fellow man. Quit trying to read into things that aren't there. I just find it so scary and removed. Makes me kinda sad.

 

Y'all take everything so seriously. Ligthen up, find a little joy but above all, use this site as a hobby or to find some temporary escort fun. Don't let the constant sex hunt stunt your growth :0)

 

I'm finshed with this topic and I'm sleepy,

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[VaHawk]

>Once again you missed my point entirely and everyone's running

>with ball.

 

Well, to be once again what you brand as "negative", I believe your comments in this response shows that I did not miss your point or interpret YOUR POST incorrectly. Ooops there I go again, attacking and misinterpreting.

 

Who cares if the majority of your clients are posters here? Perhaps it would be a better board if some of them logged in and posted and added something of value instead of being behind the scene critics. As the old adage goes "if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem". And not every thread of discussion is negative, silly and unproductive. But I guess you feel that every topic of converation on this board should be about sex for sale to make it productive? Now that would be BORING!!

 

>

>My clients are businessmen who want to have a good, relaxed

>time. They're adults who don't spend every waking moment

>trying to pick apart posts on some board in cyberspace. They

>have lives!

 

And so do the regular posters on this board. We all have lives, jobs and careers! If we didn't then we wouldn't have the funds to hire escorts.

 

I do believe some of the regular posters here are/have been your clients and have praised and recommended you. So, what does that make them - just childish jerks with no lives?

 

You really are being presumptive to assume that we don't have family, lovers, dates, or go out into other ventures, etc. Most of us work a minimum of 8 hours a day and most more than that and most times more than 5 days a week in a profession that we spent thousands and thousands of dollars to learn and years of hard work gaining experience in and that requires more than the ability to get a hard dick or to spread the ass cheeks. And you with your limited education and abilites earn a hell of a lot more an hour than us.

 

Just based on your many travels from city to city to city, I am going to surmise that you are just a rent by the hour whore whose major client base is comprised of married "str8????" businessmen who are only interested in hiring some overpriced hooker to ram his cock up their asses before they go home and kiss their wives and hug their children.

 

When you imagine your daughter telling her friends that her daddy likes boys do you also hear her saying that her daddy is a hooker?

[jackhammer91406]

Well,

This is one of those "troubling" threads that makes me squirm in discomfort. The original post seems harmeless enough..just a message pointing to an article and magazine cover on a subject that John feels an affinity for.

Suddenly, there is a barrage of notes about the cover subject not being weighty enough as far as "gay Icon" status goes.

And then, out of all this comes replies by the OP. Now John, you know I can't wait to see you get on X at Magic Mountain, and I have always found your posts interesting and positive. but I have to say (as someone who always tries to be positive unless I am ribbing someone) I was a little offended to be lumped into the category of a tired old queen who doesn't date and has no life. this response from you made me jump, because it seems out of character for you. I have no way of judging you other than your posts since we have never met. And I would give you the benefit of the doubt because of all your previous posts vs. this one. But I was uncomfortable. I am in no way trying to take sides on this issue and I have no axe to grind with you. Just wanted to add my perspective without it turning to criticism.

 

Hoping this was just something you ate;

 

[Barry]

Hawk....I was with you. I was in total agreement. You were doing fine....up until this point.

>And you with your limited education and abilites earn

>a hell of a lot more an hour than us.

>

>Just based on your many travels from city to city to city, I

>am going to surmise that you are just a rent by the hour whore

>whose major client base is comprised of married "str8????"

>businessmen who are only interested in hiring some overpriced

>hooker to ram his cock up their asses before they go home and

>kiss their wives and hug their children.

>

>When you imagine your daughter telling her friends that her

>daddy likes boys do you also hear her saying that her daddy is

>a hooker?

 

I have never found attacking a person to be a successful tactic in pointing out how that person attacks others. I understand the anger (which just bursts out at the end) but sadly when I think back about your post I mostly only remember the last 3 paragraphs. I'm sure that wasn't your original intent. And I also have a daughter, who is older than John, who knows I'm gay, who doesn't know I used to hire "hookers", who doesn't know I was partnered with a "hooker" for several years and who doesn't know I moderate a message board dedicated to "hookers" and johns.

 

Now John. I enjoyed your rather innocuous original post. Then you had to go and respond to something stupid by calling us all old queens, drunk or unmedicated (I don't drink and I took my pill this morning), without lives, etc., etc., etc..

 

Well you're right. Today I'm paying bills.....cutting the lawn....going into the city to join another poster here and a visiting escort for lunch (think I'll have a drink)....going to a friends to help him wire his apt for a new sound system.....off to my Sister's for dinner with her family....home and do laundry...check this board and read every new post....map out my work trip to Indiana tomorrow....watch the tube a bit and go to bed. Jeez, my non-life is sure exhausting, but fun.

 

Well I have to go and read 20 or so more posts then gas up the lawn mower. Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.

 

Barry

[KY_TOP]

As a person that has been a satisfied client of yours, and as you are aware, had hoped to be again in the Future, I am surprised at how you see me because I visit and post on this Board. I was glad to see this morning, that our paths would cross in NYC and was hoping to see you. Not so sure now? BTW, I do not Drink or smoke and My only meds are for Asthma and Allergies.

 

I have a LIFE! With a profession I like (that takes well over 40 hours a week of my time), add in 2 grown Children, gym time, traveling for work and pleasure, Friends, daily chores, and it is hard to find time to add a lot of else to it. I am not sure why people say "Get a Life" whenever they don't agree with someone.

 

We all have a definition of what a life is. I don't watch a lot of Television (turned it on this week and found out my cable was out, for about a week I understand). But, I don't criticize people that do spent a lot of time watching. Telling them to "get a life" because they spend so much time sitting in front of one.

 

As to your original Thread comment: I have not read the article, but it spawned a few comments about what justifies being on the cover of a Gay oriented Magazine. So What? Some feel the recent Historic Supreme Court decision is more important than a Playgirl Model coming out of the closet. But it is obvious that you got much more from the story than many here can. Partly because you have a child and many here cannot relate to that. But several of us do have children and probably could also relate to the story as you did if we read it. Regardless of the story, it probably wouldn't be the cover unless the guy was a Hunk that poses in Playgirl.

 

There are many gay men with children, have family, religious, work, or other issues with coming out that we all can relate too if the Gay Mags want to dive into them. But, we all know looks and sex sell magazines, and a lot of other things in life.

 

As for taking this Board too serious, maybe you have on this one. Actually I find just the opposite sometimes and always enjoy comments that make me laugh. Sort of like reading the Funnies in the paper.

 

Glad you got something from the article, hope it added something to your life. Surprised you lump everyone here in the same Basket and sorry you have develpoed such a distaste for those of us in that Basket. Take Care.

[Flower]

> and that requires

>more than the ability to get a hard dick or to spread the ass

>cheeks. And you with your limited education and abilites earn

>a hell of a lot more an hour than us.

>

>Just based on your many travels from city to city to city, I

>am going to surmise that you are just a rent by the hour whore

>whose major client base is comprised of married "str8????"

>businessmen who are only interested in hiring some overpriced

>hooker to ram his cock up their asses before they go home and

>kiss their wives and hug their children.

>

>When you imagine your daughter telling her friends that her

>daddy likes boys do you also hear her saying that her daddy is

>a hooker?

>

Well, you've done it again VaHawk. Your reply here was totally out of line and one of the most negative and demeaning posts I have seen since your mentor FFF stopped spewing his trash.

 

In fact yours is probably the worse yet. You have become personal, condescending and went way beyond the bounds of decency--you really went over the deep end on this one -- and all over what? Some very general, innocuous remark made to the board as a whole? I think your coments were very low rent and uncalled for. Shame on YOU.x(

[SmallTownJohn]

BTW, the majoriity of guys who seem pissed off...I wasn't even referring to you. LOL But you took the call to arms in defense. I was referring to those constantly evil types lol But, I can have my opinion just like everyone else on the board. I'm still angry how an innocent quote from a child who sees things as boys & girls turns into something NAMBLA. Just another example of why we'll never get equal rights or equal respect. Everything has to be distorted, twisted or perverted.

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[woodlawn]

Mucho gusto, Lucky.

 

Frankly, seeing yet one more story on a Playgirl centerfold who is (gosh!!) actually gay reminds me of the title of a lecture by my political science professor: "When 'News' is Really 'Olds' -- Why the Media Reports the Same Story Again and Again But Calls It 'News.'"

 

It also reminds me why the stereotype of gays as sex-obssessed idiots has so much staying power. The Advocate created a separate magazine for its sex content years ago in a bid to recast itself as a serious newsmagazine for the gay community. There seems to be some backsliding going on.

 

Another reason the stereotype has so much staying power is because gay men keep promoting it by making remarks such as one suggesting that they will soon become "bored" reading about the most significant development in gay civil rights in a generation.

 

I won't comment on the fact that the escort who started this thread let down his professional mask for a moment and showed what he really thinks of the sort of people from whom he makes his living. For me, that would also come under the heading of "When 'News' is Really 'Olds.'"

[Doug69]

>It also reminds me why the stereotype of gays as sex-obssessed

>idiots has so much staying power. The Advocate created a

>separate magazine for its sex content years ago in a bid to

>recast itself as a serious newsmagazine for the gay community.

> There seems to be some backsliding going on.

 

Why are you holding gay news magazines to a higher standard than straight news magazines? Virtually every cover of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, etc. has some sensationalistic picture or story it is featuring in order to induce people to buy their magainze. It is incredibly common to see some stupid celebrity or some vapid cultural trend or some lurid woman showing cleavage featured on the cover of any of those magazines.

 

Sex sells; that's just a fact. That's a fact in both gay and straight culture.

 

The Advocate is not meant to be the intellectual high-water venue for discussion of gay issues. It is a mass marketed, weekly news magazine designed to inform gays and lesbians about news and cultural issues in a shallow, superficial, brief manner which requires little attention or thought (exactly like Time, Newsweek, etc.).

 

While I agree that there is something odd and maybe a little irritating about some random, meaningless Playgirl moron appearing on the cover of the most widely-read gay news magazine - all in the midst of some of the most significant and potentially far-reaching events ever for gay people (gay marriage here, in Canada, the Lawrence decision, the vicious Backlash, etc.) - the fact that the Advocate has done this is quite unremarkable and common, and seems to fall squarely into what your professor described as "News that is really 'olds'".

[+ Lucky]

RE: Comes Out in Advocate

 

You told him jack! Way to go! God forbid you would actually take sides when lumped in with a bunch of bickering old queens by some small time escort! Geez, what are you worried about? He won't go to Magic Mountain with you? Something he ate! Indeed.

[Doug69]

>Just

>another example of why we'll never get equal rights or equal

>respect. Everything has to be distorted, twisted or

>perverted.

 

How interesting - and pitiful - that you think that the reason "why we'll never get equal rights or equal respect" is because of the way "we" behave, rather than because the majority of people in the society, not being gay, irrationally view homosexuality as perverted and evil and inferiority and unworthy of equality.

 

Was it black people's fault that they didn't have equality for 300 years - was it that they didn't get equality until they behaved like good boys and girls and finally earned it? Tell us what we have to do before we prove that we're worthy and earn "equality" (the thing the Constitution already says we're supposed to have).

 

I know, I know - you're just a wonderful, nice, do-no-harm redneck escort just lookin' for good a time (woo hoo!!) in your fulfilled great life, and I'm reading all kinds of awful things into the sweet, innocuous statements you made because I'm creepy and have no life and didn't take my medicine today.

 

It's just that it's rather bizarre to see a gay person identify the personalities of other gay people as the reason why gay people aren't treated equally under the law in this country.

[OneFinger]

RE: Playgirl Anniversary Man Link

 

Back to the original topic, I haven't yet seen a link to the article. So, for those that are still interested, here's the on-line article:

 

http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/895_6/895_6_merritt.asp