Demystifying Gay Porn

Send us a text In the 1970s, gay erotica was just coming in to its own and it was revolutionary. Bold, new ideas from filmmakers and underground studios transformed the landscape of sexuality, freedom, and representation. From the rise of artistic adult cinema to the creation of openly gay narratives, discover how these trailblazers helped shift culture, challenge censorship, and change the way the world saw love and identity. *Video Podcast of this episode premieres on Thursday October 16th at 7:00pm on Youtube. Support the show

Send us a text The early days of making porn films were a grey zone which was very vast and unexplored. You could tell a story while making a hardcore film. In 1974 legendary filmmaker Toby Ross made his first film. Chances are… you’ve never heard of him. But he was filming gay stories when Hollywood didn’t even acknowledge we existed. Ross was known for playful, sexy films—but there is one film in his collection that is something else entirely. Part art film, part psychodrama, part vintage porno. Big Bill Eld, was only in a handful of titles during the golden age of gay erotica but his unforgettable image and legacy has endured the test of time. On this episode we are going to celebrate the strange, bold, kinda beautiful world of Toby Ross, a prolific visual storyteller who was one of the first of his kind on the west coast making thought provoking and innovative gay porn films with full-on plots, characters, even comedy. We will explore one of the most slept-on films in gay erotic film history Do Me Evil. This isn't your typical vintage gay adult film. It’s a fever dream, a noir, a psycho-sexual puzzle, and yes — it still has plenty of skin. And we are going to celebrate Bill Eld, a star whose career began as big as his well..and faded into obscurity just quick. Support the show

Send us a text Arthur J Bressan Jr. was of the few iconic filmmakers in the history of gay erotic cinema that saw the importance of weaving and capturing our history while at the same time making it okay to watch educational stuff with your porn. Arthur J. Bressan's gay erotic feature film, Passing Strangers, was a departure from the gay erotic film genre and is one of the first notable examples of his unique tendency to integrate erotic sequences into conventional queer narratives. The fresh-faced gay adult film star Johnny Dawes became an accidental porn star and managed to work for many of the biggest studios of the golden age. Support the show

Send us a text Chuck Holmes was a gay adult film pioneer and gay rights activist who founded Falcon Studios in the early 1970s and reshaped the golden age of gay porn into the industry it is today. Widely acknowledged as the best erotica gay video for all time, The Other Side of Aspen, Falcon’s 1978 hit became an instance classic, spawned several sequels and remains a best seller. If there was ever a superstar that is well-known, much loved and remembered today from the golden gay of gay erotica…that superstar is Al Parker. The epitome of the everyday man, who can fit in to any scenario, Al Parker became an instant eye-catching success after posing for the very magazine company that years earlier had begun his own sexual awakening. Support the show

Send us a text A pioneering filmmaker and activist, Pat Rocco produced and exhibited the first openly gay erotic films and gay related newsreels in the 1960's that were widely embraced by the gay community and mainstream press. Come of Age was directed by a man named Brad Kingston. It is a side note entry in the history of gay erotic cinema. BUT it becomes an interesting subject piece when you discover that Brad Kingston was actually Pat Rocco. Rick or Jim Cassidy was one of the most popular and famous actors in both gay and straight adult entertainment from the Los Angeles area. And be it, clothed or unclothed, he gained a massive following through photoshoots, films and an incredible physique. On this episode, we are going to celebrate and scratch at the surface of Pat Rocco, a truly pioneering, photographer, filmmaker, activist and important figure during the sexual revolution, whose work is barely recognized today in the narrative of gay history. We're taking a look at Come of Age, filmmaker Pat Rocco’s first dive into the hardcore erotic entertainment market. And we are going to celebrate Rick Cassidy, an east coast amateur who became a physique model, popular cover model and adult entertainer during the golden age. Support the show

Send us a text Perennial guest and porn star Joel Someone is in New York and I took the opportunity to sit down and catch up. From the Gayvn Awards, garbage picking in New York to his father’s passing; we go deep. We then attempt to read mean comments about Joel, but get into a conversation about dealing with online trolling and the importance of accepting criticism. Support the show

Send us a text Described as gay Louis B. Mayer, the big producer during the golden age of Hollywood, Shan Sayles was a big, boisterous man who owned movie theaters, produced films and cemented his mark on the early days of all erotic film. It was a legendary production at the time of its release. Both for its subject matter and the various rumors and circumstances that surround the production. A beautifully chiseled body, gorgeous face and that damn mustache. A one-named wonder of gay erotica that with the help of industry players, an aggressive manager and rumored lover who devoted their energies and talents in order to create a legend. That legend was Roger. On this episode, we’re going to celebrate Shan Sayles, a legendary exhibitor and one of the first entrepreneurs to comprehensively hire gay men to perform in, direct, write and edit erotic gay films. We will take a look as his film Song of the Loon, one of the first feature-length all male films that premiered during the beginning of the gay liberation era and is about an interracial gay relationship set during the American Frontier in the 1800s. And finally we are going to celebrate Roger; whose meteoric rise made him one the most popular centerfolds and live performers to come out of the golden age of gay erotic cinema. Support the show

Send us a text I have been talking to the Milking Coach about getting together for some time now. While on location in NYC for work, I took advantage of his open morning and came in for the interview. After a successful career in mainstream entertainment as an event producer, The Milking Coach began his career in erotic videos on Tumblr and Xtube before establishing himself on popular fan sites doing what he does best; milking men! So what exactly does it mean to "get milked" or to be a milker? Watch the interview and find out. Enjoy! Support the show

Send us a text The Park Theater, the Century Theater, Signature Films, Jaguar Productions, these are just a couple of names, I could throw out there to anyone who knew what was "in" back in the day and the man that was responsible for all of them was Monroe Beehler. A pioneering studio that was run out of a basement in the Hollywood Hills, Jaguar was the first feature film production-distribution company with national reach that was exclusively gay, yet it is minimally chronicled in gay media history. Narrated by Monroe Beehler, The Rivermen directed by Monroe Beehler under the name Marc Aaron has been applauded for its cinematography and was an example of storyline erotic films that were released during the golden age of gay erotica. Support the show

Send us a text Adult content creator, Rob Montana, joins me on DGP to discuss growing up poor, gay and Mormon in rural Montana. Montana recounts stories of visiting the local gay bars, coming out to his family before moving to Washington D.C. for work and graduate studies. There Montana would meet his husband and enroll in medical school. During a dark time in his life, he juggled a marriage, medical school and a growing addiction to crystal meth before getting sober. Montana would then find his way into the adult entertainment industry as a content creator and undergo a risky Penuma implant (penile enhancement procedure) that affected his livelihood as a sex-worker and throw him back into drug-use only to come out stronger. Support the show

Send us a text Arch Brown, an amateur photographer turned incidental filmmaker first came to broad public attention through his films. During gay liberation’s first decade, Brown’s homoerotic films achieved an international following garnering amazing reviews. Fellow filmmaker and producer, Jack Deveau, entrusted Brown with a surreal film which has been compared to the works of Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel and Jean Cocteau. So what is Arch Brown's The Night Before trying to tell us? Dick Fisk was one of the most famous faces of gay erotica in the mid to late 1970’s and onward into the early 1980’s. He was manly, oozed sexuality and confidence and….that mustache. He appeared in only a handful of magazines and movies but his iconic look made him Falcon Studios first "instant" superstar. In this episode we are going to celebrate Arch Brown, a filmmaker who would become a master craftsman and philanthropist after leaving the corporate world behind, his film, The Night Before, a beautifully crafted film that was on Variety’s 50 top-grossing film’s list in the nation for five weeks. And finally we will celebrate Dick Fisk, the archetypal Castro clone with the perfect physique and generous endowment whose contributions to the gay adult entertainment industry still resonate with his admirers today. Support the show

Send us a text SantanaXXL is an adult contenet creator phenomenon. Since he began making videos for site like Xtube and Xvideos, he has single-handedly represented "the big boys!" I drove down to Philly to meet Santana in his now infamous SUV to talk about his upbringing, his continued growth in the industry, moving into studio porn, and what else he's got in store for us. Support the show

Send us a text A listener messaged me and asked if I could score an interview with The Masked Jock. I did not know this beautifully carved, masked man personally, but I watched his following grow with the awesome content he produces. While we were in the same city, I decided to contact him and see if he would be up for an interview. He gladly accepted. We sat down to discuss Masked Jock's start in the porn industry, his niche, the fans and what life was like growing up, in an interview that highlights his inner beauty as well as his chiseled outward appearance. Enjoy! Support the show

Send us a text Before social media, influencers and selfies, there was Peter Berlin; whose blond hair, fair skin and slim physique made him an international icon. He was “the original influencer. The gay erotic film Nights in Black Leather was a significant release during the 1970’s Golden Era of Gay Porn. It was embraced and celebrated internationally due to it’s sexual representation but primarily because of its star and creative mind behind the film, Peter Berlin. In this episode we are going to take a look at Nights in Black Leather. A fluke film with a loose narrative made on the fly that would cement its place in the annals of gay porn history to this day. We will also explore the life and work of Peter Berlin, a talent artist, photographer, filmmaker and human being who would become a defining gay sex symbol and reluctant porn star through his photography and porn films that only had one main subject…himself. Support the show

Send us a text Apollo Fates is one of gay adult entertainment's stars who in my opinion is still bubbling under; his talents and work are very well received and definitely noticed but I still think it is scratching under the surface. I first saw Apollo perform in a couple of scenes for Vision X Studios and knew the next time I find myself in L.A., I'd have to try and work with him. We did and it was lovely! During a recent visit to New York City, I was able to sit down and get to know Apollo, one on one. Apollo discusses his childhood, bouncing around the greater Los Angles area in the flawed foster care system, the experience of living with his biological mother, coming out, relationships and the industry, ultimately leading to how he ended up being Apollo Fates. Enjoy! Support the show

Send us a text In his 40-year career, William Higgins, built a catalogue of over 3,000 films and is considered by many of his peers as one of the most influential and beloved gay porn directors of all time. The film, A Married Man, directed by William Higgins and starring Jack Wrangler was the director’s debut into the maddening world of gay erotic cinema. Kip Noll was a fantasy for so many men. The straight and married model was the first major twink in gay adult film history. In this episode we are gong to celebrate William Higgins, director and founder of Catalina Video who established a reputation for casting young, fresh, handsome, hung models in full-length features with relatable story-lines. We’ll take a look at A Married Man, a classic gay porn film by Higgins, who almost left the business before the film was seen by a savvy theatre and given a proper, successful release. And finally, we are going to celebrate Kip Noll, a gay porn star who was lusted after by everyone and whose popularity was unequaled during his time in the industry until he just disappeared. Support the show

Send us a text I met Teddy Forest in 2019. He's a blonde hair, blue-eyed charismatic young man. Then he takes off his clothes and gets in front of the camera; unleashing a totally different beast! Teddy Forest sits down and tells us about growing up Lutheran in Nebraska before making his way to Chicago to major in Urban Development. Now, currently living in New York City, Teddy continues his studies while dancing on the side at a popular east village gay bar, appearing in adult films and maintaining his fan sites. Enjoy! Support the show

Send us a text The late 1970s were an representational awakening for homosexual men. They began to embrace a new vision of themselves as hyper masculine. The rise of the clone look and of bars that catered to them helped push forward this new gay masculinity, but porn took it to the rest of the country and the man who bridged the old world of the closeted straight man and the new gay masculine sexuality was filmmaker Joe Gage. The Road movie as a cinematic genre emerged after world war 2 and reflected both the advent of the automobile as a fundamental expression of individualism. And the emergence of a mobile young suburban population looking for adventure. The combination of these elements plus the exploration of male sexual desire among working class and rural men were brought together by Joe Gage in his Working Man Trilogy. Often called the OG Daddy of Gay Porn, Richard Locke, burst onto the gay erotic film scene in 1974 and quickly became a fixture among gay men who were into the rugged and sexy male look that differed from the clone look depicted in films made in California. But Locke was more of a renaissance man all rolled into one human. In this episode, we are going to celebrate Joe Gage aka Tim Kincaid, his film Kansas City Trucking Co. and Richard Locke. Support the show

Send us a text It’s 1971 and you’re at a Groovy Guy Contest. There, you set your eyes on Jimmy Hughes. Hughes would go on to win the contest and become a sought after model during the early part of the 1970’s before being entangled in rape and kidnapping charges that would landed him in jail in 1974. When a feature film becomes a massive box office hit, it has the capacity of shifting the cultural landscape, putting its finger on the pulse of the day and age. And it will almost inevitably assure that a hardcore porn film parody will soon follow. Greek Lightning may just be one of the first erotic film parodies in history. But just who was the director of the 1972 gay erotic film Greek Lightning? Robert Walters? Ken Albert? Robert Stephens? The answer is all of them, because iconic filmmaker Scott Masters, who founded Studio 2000 and Nova Films used all of those names during his long career in gay adult entertainment. In this episode, we will celebrate Scott Masters, a guerrilla filmmaker and director who began his career in the adult industry pushing the boundaries of full frontal male nudity his film Greek Lightning, a gay porn that was meant to be a hardcore take off of The French Connection,. And Lastly, we will take a look at the short but fascinating modeling career of Jimmy Hughes, a golden age performer who achieved star status during the early to mid 70’s before it all came crashing down amidst several sex crimes. Support the show

Send us a text Young model and adult entertainer Benvi was in New York City recently and I have wanted to sit down and talk to him since I met him in Los Angeles a couple years back. Just in his mid-20's, Benvi has already lived many lives and shares a bit about his struggles with addiction and homelessness that led him to sex work. Now sober, Benvi has reclaimed his narrative and has a promising career ahead of him. Enjoy! Support the show