Oct
31
Bratislava Dispatch: Halloween
October 31, 2009 | 7 Comments
Bratislava Dispatch: We returned yesterday evening from a quick day trip to Budapest (see the link below). Today is Halloween, of course, but it’s apparently not a big deal here in Slovakia. I saw a couple of bars in the area advertising themed parties but the windows and walls are not draped with the usual paraphernalia. One of my guides told me Slovakians spend the day honoring the dead. I’ll try to get some more details today. Last night, when we returned to Bel Ami’s offices, I had an opportunity to briefly interview Lukas Ridgeston, who was working late editing material for his own label (this photo was taken last year; he’s let a bit of attractive grey grow into his temples since then). I’ve spoken with him half a dozen times now and he is always polite, but reserved. I can understand why; he’s spent most of the past 16 years with people grabbing at him and trying to get close to him. He is recognized virtually everywhere he goes, anywhere in the world. We spent our interview talking about his work for Bel Am as a director, cameraman and editor. He had some good stories about dealing with performers because he knows all of their tricks; yeah, when Lukas Ridgeston is your director, you can’t really pull the wool over his eyes. He is meticulous about providing good direction to his models. Also, many of these guys are a bit easier to direct, in one respect, because they are mostly straight and did not come of age lusting for Mr. Ridgeston, so they have no baggage in that regard. We talked a little bit about his lasting legacy and it was in these moments that his legendary humility was apparent. “It feels good to know that maybe I affected someone’s sexuality and changed their life a little bit,” he told me.
* “Greetings from Budapest”
* “Back to Bratislava”
* “GPTimes Housekeeping: Travel Day“
[Image © Bel Ami.]
Comments
7 Comments so far
Ok, so must think your readers are fools trying to peddle the old, discredited transparent myth that these gay porn performers are “straight.” Do yourself a favor and retire that old lie/myth and stop insulting our intelligence.
Yes, Javier, it’s not a myth. I’ve witnessed it first hand for 31 years. Many of the models are straight. I would say in this part of the world, 90% are straight. Back in the USA in the ’80s there were so many times when I paid the models and they went right out and spent their earnings on female whores.
To give you an example from the real world, what about all the ‘gay’ politicians who have wives and children as ‘beards?’ Would you say, ‘just because they can have sex with women, they must be straight?’
Was it Lenny Bruce who said, ‘when men are horny enough, they can fuck dirt’?
Oh Jesus Christ. I don’t mean to sound like a dick, Javier, but I think you’re a perfect example of what I call ’self-rationalized wishful thinking’ (nope, still dickish, sorry).
I think the gay porn industry is so saturated with gay-for-pay actors that gay men are starting to put up a defense mechanism for something the industry sorely lacks: an out and proud sexual role model that you can jack off to, to your hearts content and not wonder why he sucks cock so awkwardly; or why he won’t reciprocate at all; or why there’s straight porn playing in the background; or why there’s videos of him barebacking girls; or why he’s on TYRA talking about his wife and three kids… (i don’t sound frustrated do i?)
So, what about the Peters twins???
Are they straight also???
“Back in the USA in the ’80s there were so many times when I paid the models and they went right out and spent their earnings on female whores.”
So let me get this straight — haha.
These outrageously good looking guys only chance with women was to pay prostitutes? Sounds like overcompesation. Why does that Joe Jackson song’s lyric come to mind: “Man can kill and man can drink and man can take a whore”
“what about all the ‘gay’ politicians who have wives and children as ‘beards?’ ”
Being straight doesn’t have any social consequences. Being gay, however does. You could be fired, killed, kicked out of your apartment and not elected if people knew you were gay in many places in america.
In reality, these men are probably bisexual. I know many a supposed “gay for pay” porn model who has let a guy suck his dick for no pay. Hell, I can name a dozen active-duty or military classified guys I’ve and other gay guys I know have had sex with.
As for Mr. Ridgeston, didn’t he say many years ago that he was just sexual — meaning he didn’t really care who had sex with. Is it this week he’s claiming to be straight? Or will that change when he figures out that he has no marketable skills and gay men won’t pay him anymore to be their fantasy.
My question to porn producers, why even mention their sexuality at all? Why put gay for pay in your marketing materials? Why emphasize that this guy or that guy is straight?
The reason you do this is due to the fact that you might not sell as many DVDs or website memberships if you don’t. So you have a vested interest in keeping the on-going myth that straight guys will have sex with other men (as long as money is involved).
Wearing my ‘viewer’ hat, not my ‘producer’ hat, the ‘forbidden fruit always tastes sweetest.’
I’ve completely given up assuming any of the performers in the biz are genuinely gay in their personal lives, regardless of what they do or say. This is one of several reasons why I rarely ever watch gay porn anymore.