BenjaminNicholas

How about your doctor? Your dentist? While we all need to be responsible for our own health, it is the case that if you are putting someone at risk, your status is their business. Whether you take that responsibility or not is another issue.

Agreed. When sex is part of your business, disclosure is part of being a decent human being.

My understanding from friends is that Jupiter Island society does not embrace high-pofile "undesireables."

Not sure about Woods, but Jupiter embraced Celine Dion: They had little issue with her building her home and being a quiet part-time resident.

She's since sold the home and moved on.

I finally listened to the new cast recording.

 

Gavin Creel sounds wonderful as Cornelius. Despite some questions of contemporary styling, Kate Baldwin makes for a nice Irene.

 

Midler, frankly, is very disappointing. She sings everything basically fine (some odd rhythmic choices notwithstanding), but it's generally very workmanlike, nothing more. Glimmers of joy here and there, but generally she's just "hitting her marks." Not a star turn whatsoever. But really, most of the album feels that way to me - the sound of the recording in general feels like no one (including the orchestra, who play the notes just fine, but...) was particularly excited to be in the recording studio. And when the ensemble comes in with those wonderful harmonies in "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" (one of my favorite parts of the score), it sounds like they all must have better things to do. (I was thinking they sound a bit like the Ray Conniff Singers might have sounded at 6am, lol. Smooth and precisely drilled, but dramatically uninvolved.)

 

Give me the irresistible energy - the "full of shine and full of sparkle" - of the original Channing recording any day.

 

This one - it's a little lumpy, but it doesn't ring.

 

(And by the way, why does Midler meddle with some cheap channelling of Channing in "march, march march" in the Motherhood number?)

An astute review and one that I share almost entirely... Along with heaping praise on Kate Baldwin, who has such a fantastic blend of head-to-belt that I could listen to her sing the phonebook. Her training and talent is clearly wonderful.

Midler has thankfully dropped the old lady shtick and now plays the role as straight as she can. I'm looking forward to seeing a real Broadway trooper like Donna Murphy go in for Dolly, mid-June. I want to see what a seasoned stage vet does with the role, along with a singer who can easily handle the songs.

Speedos, square-cuts and jammers, love wearing them all.

I say wear what makes you comfortable. Who gives a damn if you're not perfectly built? If you've got the confidence to show some skin, do it

Agree about Rufskin: Nice product, way overpriced. If you look on eBay, you can find a ton of their Asian-manufactured product very, very cheap.

This goes to my earlier posts about the great importance of VACCINES - HPV vaccine won't be covered by your insurance due to age limitations (26) and is expensive but worth it! Series of 3, may get a better rate at a Gay/Lesbian Center.

100% agree: Although a gamble if you've already been sexually active, getting the Gardasil9 vaccines are never a bad idea. I'd say the same thing for the Hep A/B series. Many outreach centers offer these at a major discount or for free.

Even out of pocket, for a sexually active gay man or escort, it's more than worth it for the peace of mind.

Ben, I'm a little confused. Did the escort have a cold sore at the time and transfer it to the client's genitals? I believe that is rare but possible.

 

Estimates are pretty consistent that 2/3 of the adult population carry HSV1. Most people are exposed as children. I get a cold sore once every few months and I have cancelled escort meetings due to them. Are you suggesting that even if I don't have a cold sore at the time, or feel one coming on, I should be disclosing this to every escort I meet?

 

If so please consider this my disclosure. I sooooo hope to meet you one day and I hope this won't disqualify me.

From what I was told, yes, the escort was having an outbreak, didn't disclose (but knew about it) and now my friend is dealing with the after effects.

The factoid that 2/3 of the population has HSV1 is neither here nor there to me in this particular case: The escort knew he was a carrier, was aware that he was communicable and still decided to risk it, risking his client's health.

This isn't confusing: This is a responsibility issue. What kind of human being does that to someone else?

As a public service announcement, please make sure to directly ask your escort if he's current on all STD checks. Sure, he can lie, but it never hurts to ask. There are some things, even with a condom and PrEP, that can be transmitted. Things that aren't so easily cured with a shot of Penicillin.

Not trying to fear-monger, but a friend of mine recently got HSV1 from an escort he was seeing. The escort KNEW he had it. Never warned my friend, no head's up. When he confronted the escort about it, the guy acted like it was nothing and tried to downplay it.

Muscle Assets is Jack Mackenroth from Project Runway "fame" a number of years ago yes, he's a sweetheart and a Poz advocate/personality. He is also a sex worker advocate and doesn't hide his new side job. Stas is PNP friendly and a pig power bottom with clients. I don't party so it's all good as PNP friendly typically means "client can party and escort doesn't care or escort may partake with client" it usually doesn't mean "escort is a complete junkie and will be high as hell when he shows up". I don't care if an escort is hard, as long as their butt is and the center is warm, juicy, soft and pliable, that's all that matters. If you are looking for a top, Stas and Assets ain't it.

So, he's not hiding the fact the he's Jack Mackenroth, yet blurs his images?

And he's not hiding that he's HIV+, but he doesn't mention it, up front, anywhere in his ad... On top of that, he openly advertises as playing unsafe.

To me, that's not being an advocate for anything but self-profit by any means possible.

Assets: He's who I think he is, correct?

I guess the reality show personal appearance money dried up.

On the other hand, when you live on protein shakes, who needs Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent?

A great body can only last so long... But Formica is forever.

old news, but some may not have seen this......

 

http://www.queerclick.com/qc/2014/10/bill_reilich_aka_nick_the_gardener_nude.php

... But can we talk about that kitchen for a second?

A timely subject: I recently answered this very question on my Q&A...

https://ask.fm/BenjaminNicholas/answers/142623963317

One of the thickest pieces of meat I've ever had fuck me... And it rocked.

I am barebacking with a few selected professionals I trust are on PreP. I am still using condoms with my hook ups and with escorts I do not fully trust

I know you know this, but deciding to bareback without first being on routine PrEP is incredibly risky.

While you have trust in these men, the only person you can truly trust 100% with your health is yourself. Get the bloodwork done and get onto PrEP now. And as other replies have posted, be aware of the wide variety of STDs that PrEP doesn't protect you against. Vaccinate against what you can.

Miniver, like Teachout, is a conservative. Birds of a feather.

To me, being conservative or liberal has little to do with how someone feels about a show. It's subjective, emotional. I know more than a few people who share Miniver's opinion on Midler and that's their right... Even it it's not your shared opinion

I'm a liberal kind of guy and I wasn't thrilled with Bette. It happens.

Clearly, I'm in the minority when it comes to this revival. It's not that I disliked Dolly, but I am quicker to semi-agree with this review than many of the others:

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2373706

Uber lies so much. They lead the public to believe the tip is included. The drivers don't make shit so it's just another evil thing they do. Their leader Travis Kalanick is a complete duchebag and a big Trump supporter. I dumped their app for Lyft.

Let's be frank: Most companies that large are evil in one way or another. They ALL lie. We either just choose to ignore the lies or accept them and move forward.

Kalanick quit Trump's business advisory council and has basically severed public ties with him. The same can't currently be said for Lyft:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/04/06/lyft-exec-may-join-trumps-dot/100154370/#

I'll be curious to see if they push forward with this and what public reaction to it will be.

If only Midler would stop with the 'I'm such a tired old lady' schtick. She did it in Vegas. She did it in her last tour. She's doing it now in Dolly when going up on lines and 'ad libbing' to fill space. I hope that as she settles into this run, she can focus on creating a character. I also know I'm in the minority here on not being totally blown away by what I've seen of her so far.

Donna Murphy is going to kill in this role. She can belt. She can act. She's not a name outside of the theatre world, but I can't wait to see what she does with the role.

One of my favorites is getting a revival at Circle in the Square next season. If you haven't listened through it, it's really a beautifully written musical. Ahrens & Flaherty (Ragtime, My Favorite Year, Suessical) are incredibly talented.

And while I'm not insane about stunt-casting, after hearing Alex Newell (GLEE) sing this, I think I'd be okay with a gender-neutral Asaka ('Mother of the Earth').

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK4BhbHjRhN/?hl=en

Armpits are hot. Something about a guy in a tight tank top with the right amount of chest & arm muscle to really make it pop. A little gym musk is never a bad thing either.

I keep my pits trimmed, but never smooth:

Private and public blacklists (and message boards) still exist. They're posted on frequently and serve as a good first resource for many male & female workers.

Wherever you decide to go, do make sure to actually see, learn about and enjoy the country you're visiting: I scratch my head at people who travel for 30 hours, only to be fully consumed by getting laid or cruising a gay bar that looks exactly like what you can get most anywhere in the States.

Traveling to me is about exiting your bubble and possibly learning something you didn't know before. Call me crazy

My vote would be to go to Moscow or Saint Petersburg. They're both fascinating and beautiful. The visa isn't tough to get. Just some easy paperwork, or if you want to streamline it further, you can have a third-party expeditor do it all for you.

Love guys in flip-flops, but hate that most of them don't do anything to take care of their feet

Cardinal rules of wearing Havaianas: Get regular pedicures and a pumice stone is your friend. I spend a lot of time going barefoot when I'm down in Key West, but always make sure that I scrub down daily and keep my feet in shape.

I will admit to having lots of fun in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Only because I could only handle about three days of Oklahoma before I was ready to start shooting people. By going to DFW, I was able to go back to OKC for another three days. The family only barely noticed.

My main problem with Oklahoma is that the wind either comes right behind the rain or as it's sweepin' down the plain.

With all this wind, I really just recommend wearing a baseball cap if you're going to visit.

I have been trapped in Texasshole way more than I have cared for on business travel,

Id rather have dental work than spend any more in the butt plug state then required.

... Well, aren't you a charmer