I actually lost track of what day it is, but we'll say this is my second report on the IML/Grabby weekend in Chicago. Yesterday started out with a cab ride to Boys Town with Drew Warner and Troy Punk to an autograph signing at a local video store put together by Jett Blakk of Red Devil Entertainment. Troy and Brad Benton were expecting crowds like an Oprah book signing, but unfortunately, no one came. Drew and Troy are now gay porn's current "power couple" and joke about being nicknamed "Drew Punk". Now dubbed the "Bennifer" of gay porn, the Grabby's awarded them a laundry basket full of lube for their trousseau. After a few minutes, I bailed out of the autograph signing to take a stroll of Halsted Street. Naturally, my radar directed me right to the gay thrift store. Retardo The Wonderfuck called and I said, "Guess where I am? Thrift store shoppping!" It's where I'd be if I was home, so why not. The Brown Elephant thift store was having a used leather sale. How could I miss it! After playing tourist for a few hours, I rested up for the Grabby Awards later that night. The Grabby's are held in a fully appointed theater setting which gave it much more of a quality feel than the last few years of the GayVN Awards. The opening video was a brilliant comedy skit featuring MC's Chi Chi LaRue and Honey West, with a cameo by none other than Bobby Trendy (someone we all love to hate). I don't remember much of it, but I remember I enjoyed it immensely. Jeff Rosenberg directed it, and I hope it's available for screening somewhere online! As for the Grabby Awards themselves, I wasn't keeping track of who won what. In fact, my favorite line of the night was Michael Brandon picking up a trophy and asking, "What did I win?" (Turns out it was a big dick award of some kind.) A similar "surprize" award was given to Arpad Miklos for Best Money Shot or something. He paused as he was making his acceptance speech and it seemed like he was suddenly caught by the absurdity of the moment. Who exactly do you thank for the Best Cumshot award, your seminal vesicles? I also remember COLT won Best Picture for Buckleroos, but the rest of the awards seemed to be pretty evenly spread out among the various studios, which is nice. Raging Stallion won the People's Choice Awards for Pokin' In The Boys Room. It's a new category created by the Grabby's new corporate sponsor, MaleFlixxx.tv. The Grabby's were fun, but I had two closing thoughts. First, it's almost June and the 2004 movies nominated are already ancient, but what can you do? IML is Chicago's big gay (sex-oriented) event of the year, so this is the only time you could do it. Secondly, which relates to the first, it's hard to get porn stars to come out to Chicago. Most live on either the West or East coasts, and without two overlapping events in one weekend it would be even harder to get the stars to show up. They had just enough porn stars to be presenters, but it would be nice to see a few more milling around, as you often see in West Coast events. And speaking of East Coast porn stars, as you recall, Michael Lucas made a big point of avoiding the Grabby's this year. I forget who said it, but there was "Jesus joke" made from the stage at one point, taking a little shot at Michael Lucas from his GayVN speech comparing himself to our Lord and Savior. ("I'm 33 and a lot of people would like to crucify me.") I happened to wear a D&G shirt with a rhinestone Jesus and someone else complimented me on my Michael Lucas shirt! Didn't plan for that! For those of you keeping track, yes, I did finally get laid last night. Not a big leather fantasy scene, but it was just what I needed to renew my confidence. I just hooked up with a sweet local boy to get our rocks off, he did what I needed him to do and I sent him home. Perfect, and with no bruises or scars. (My nipples are little tingly, though...) And to the people at Gay Chicago Magazine, do a Google search for the term "Grabby Awards". You'll see that Lavender Lounge Blog ranks number one right behind your own website! Keep that in mind when you want to advertise next year!

I'm in Chicago for IML (International Mr. Leather) and the Grabby's. Got in last night and went to the opening ceremonies. Five minutes into it, and I'm thinking, "Oh no, this IS another beauty pagaent! Get me outta here!" There are some hotties running for the title, but as they said, "it's not about who's the prettiest..." My personal favorite is my homeboy from San Francisco, Dodger Allen. He's the cutest, but does he fit the rest of the criteria? Who knows. I also like the guy from Germany, the guy from England, and I think the guy from Florida. You'll see pictures in a few days. These contests are painful enough, but they decided to play the national anthems for EVERY country represented - both verses all the way through. It really threw the MC, who by the way is hottie himself. Forgot his name, but he is very good at it, and I think he'll be doing a lot of these contests in the future. Went to the Leather Mart trade show today for some recreational shopping. Got to hang out with COLT, Factory Video, Hot House, Raging Stallion, Roman Heart from Falcon, Pete Ross, Markie, Drew Warner, Frederick Ford, Carlos Morales, Troy Punk, and the list goes on and on. I'm just getting over a nasty cold and still spewing a lot of phlegm. I looked all over the trade show for booths about "Snot Fetish", but I guess they all called in sick. "Hot Snot Top looking to hack up a big yellow load for willing Booger Bottom. Sickies only." Also had the pleasure of meeting Steve from Bijou Video. He is one of the people who got me interested in vintage gay porn, and he is an absolute gem! He taught me about directors like Jack DeVeau, Steve Smith, etc. He gave me a press release about with a bit of old Hollywood trivia involving one of the vintage gay porn movies that he sells. I will be writing about that more when I get home so stay tuned. Also had a nice chat with J.D. Slater about the old days of gay porn and how it relates to the new 2257 regulations. He told me some stories from the bad old days that scared the shit out of me. I wish I could tell you about it, but all I can say is, the new laws could be even worse. Time to go have some fun. By the way, I did a Google search for "International Mr. Leather" and as of today, Lavender Lounge Blog shows up number one right behind IML's own site. When I walked up to the Hot House booth, Steven Scarborough told all his porn stars, "This is Mark Kliem, he can make you or break you in this industry."

Just in time for the big leather jamboree in Chicago (International Mr. Leather), COLT Studio's Buckshot Productions sends me a teaser for their new leather movie, "LeatherBound". Last week I received a little flyer in the mail with the message, "To un-lock the next Buckshot Productions feature, you'll need this key:..." and there was a tiny little metal key glued to the paper. Okay, I thought, I'll just put it on the pile with the rest of the gay porn movies I don't have time to review and forget about it. So yesterday another package arrives, and it weighs an awful lot for it's size. I open it to find a stack of catalogues from the Mr. S leather emporium and the DVD of "LeatherBound". The stack is wrapped in a cutesy leather "harness" with a little brass padlock. Echoing every other gay porn reviewer at the same moment, I thought, "Now where did I put that damned key?" The package also included a personal note from director Kristofer Weston (nice touch!), so I felt obilgated to open it and take a look at the video. It was a Saturday night, after all, and I was too "under the weather" to stay over at Retardo The Wonderfuck's, much to his dismay. Not a tough choice to make at the moment. "LeatherBound" stars a few familiar names and a few that I think you will be hearing a LOT more very soon: Arpad Miklos, Dean Phoenix, Demitri Banks, Gus Mattox, Jason Crew, Joey Milano, Sam Shadon, Troy Punk. In particular, Jason Crew is a one to watch out for. Jason Crew was the focus of two elements I personally had never seen in a gay porn video. First, there is some law that forbids anyone who is tied up or restrained from being penetrated. That's why in bondage movies, you never see a guy in handcuffs getting fucked, they always have him WATCHING another UNbound couple doing the fucking. However, in "LeatherBound" they take advantage of Jason Crew in a leather straitjacket not by making him the voyeur, but making him TOP the other two! I don't think I've ever seen this before in a gay porn bondage movie. Or have I just been missing something? On one hand, it's the perfect way to get around the "no pentration while bound" rule, but on the other hand, it changes the dynamic of a guy in bondage being the submissive. Old-guard leather queens will probably cluck their tongues over this breach of traditional dominant/submission roles. (It's all veddy important to some people, ya know...) I'm sure it MUST have occurred in other movies, but I haven't seen it, and maybe it should be done more often. The other thing I haven't seen before in gay porn movies (and again, maybe I have seen it and merely forgot) occurs after Jason Crew fucks Troy Punk and Demitri Banks. Jason Crew does a solo scene on his back with his ankles suspended. He begins what is probably his daily jack off ritual by inserting his own cock into his own ass! How does he get it hard enough to insert yet pliable enough to bend it backwards? Again, this has probably been done a zillion times in gay porn, probably as far back as John Holmes, but I must have been sleeping. Whether it's a new position or not, I am going to officially name this sex act "Bending It Like Beckham". And for those of you taking note, when Jason Crew shoved his dick into his own ass, he did it without a condom! I can see the tabloids now - "COLT Movie With BAREBACK Scene!" I'm not going to give a full-on review of Buckshot's "LeatherBound" right now because I'm busy trying to shove my dick in my own ass. (Why can't I Bend It Like Beckham?) But check it out if you ever do key-word searches for any of the following terms: Anal Sex, Body/facial Hair, Bondage, Butt Play, Cum Shots, Dildos, Double Oral Penetration, Jockstraps, Latin Men, Leather, Oral Sex, Rimming, Romance, Slapping, Solo Scene/masturbation, Spitting, Sucking, Tattoos, Three-way, Two-way, Verbal Sex

You only have a few days left to vote on People's Choice Award at the Grabby's. (It's coming up next week, you know!) As I wrote earlier, I will be jetting off to Chicago next week for the festivities surrounding IML (International Mr. Leather) and the Grabby Awards. I can't wait. From what I hear, the host hotel becomes one big gay bath house, with doors left open for impromptu drop-in guests, sex in the elevators, porn stars, wannabe's, daddies, boys, bears, cubs, and oh yeah, geeky bespeckled ME with a camera around my neck. (Nah, nah, I got a Press Pass, I got Press Pass...!) Whatever. Retardo the Wonderfuck will be waiting for me when I get home, and I will have tons of pictures to share with members of the VIP Room at Lavender Lounge. In the meantime, I've given you my three selections for the People's Choice Awards. Kept by Falcon Studios (love the orgy scene), Pokin' In The Boys Room by Raging Stallion (can Tag Adams get any hotter?), and Studs N Pups by MSR (I want that pup Brad Benton on a leash). Watch them and vote, or just watch them and jerk off.

Oh, Jason Ridge, why doeth thou torment me with thy beauty! Yes, porn fans, that IS our own Jason Ridge on the cover of "Skuff 3: Downright Wrong" from Hot House. I always thought he was absolutely dreamy in a sporty/jock/circuitboy kind of way, but I don't recall seeing him in any kind of leather, fetish or nasty pig kind of gay porn movie before. And I've never seen him with any facial hair either. Grow some hair on your chest, and you're in business, baby. As Danny Thomas would say, Make Room For Daddy! "Skuff 3" stars Hot House Exclusives Alex Fuerte, Enzo Grimaldi, and Kirk Ziegler together with Hot House Superstar Collin O'Neal lead an all-star cast including Arpad Miklos, Jason Ridge, Thom Barron, Christoph Scharff, Jason Kingsley, Troy Punk, Owen Hawk, Marcos Pirelli, and Marcos David. As it says in the press material, AVN Hall of Fame Director Steven Scarborough pushes 13 scorching-hot men to the brink of indecency with uncontrolled, unbridled action so twisted, it's Downright Wrong. The Hardcore Director's Cut Two Disc Set features 6 shocking scenes, driving tribal beats from NY underground legend DJ Little Rock, and a limited edition collector's box. The Christian Right thinks two guys merely kissing goes way beyond "...the brink of indecency...", so I wonder what Steven Scarborough could possibly have them do that hasn't already been done? Porn music by an actual club DJ might be a nice touch, though. The movie is also going to premier at the Hot House booth at IML in Chicago next week Be sure to tell them you heard about it here at Lavender Lounge Blog. Click the banner to watch a free video trailer, or watch the full version of Skuff 1 and Skuff 2 by Hot House.

Michael Johnstone and his favorite photographic subject, Mrs. Vera, are two of San Francisco's finest treasures. Johnstone is the featured artist this month on the Queer Art Resource web site, and even though there is no gay porn involved here, I insist that you click through to look at his photos. It's time you got some kulcha. Since 1996, Queer Arts Resource (QAR) has produced over 40 online exhibitions that suggest the range, depth, and importance of queer artistic expression. All prior exhibitions are available to the public, free of charge, in our archives as they were originally presented with all critical studies/notes and visual materials intact. The intimate portraits of Mrs. VERA, the best photographic images by that multi-talented artist Michael JOHNSTONE, are now officially on exhibition in the QAR Main Gallery @ --> <www.queer-arts.org>. [You have just participated in perhaps the first global virtual vernissage.] So come in, have a glass of champagne (no apologies for this politically incorrect reference to alcohol) and take a look around. We are pleased to feature the artistic work of this dynamic couple who for many years, in various ways, have enriched the lives of those of us who know them in the San Francisco Bay Area. Next month, QAR will feature the Art of David FAULK (the other half, aka 'Mrs. Vera' and QAR's April-May Site of the Month pick). These two exhibitions by this loving long-term gay couple marks a wonderful moment of our renewal and we hope your recommitment to QAR's values: Until the recent advent of Queer Studies, the History of Art omitted most material of direct relevance to lesbians, gays, and transsexuals. Much was suppressed, much was lost due to neglect or censorship, and a great deal was simply overlooked. QAR is expanding the range and depth of knowledge about contemporary and historical queer art, and making this information freely available on our website. We seek not your financial help, but your commitment with downloadable exhibition materials (not suggestions) worthy of the artists in our archives so we may continue to present the best rather than the politically correct. If art, as Marcel DUCHAMPS defined it, is whatever the artist says it is, we reserve the right to establish, shall we say, categories of greatness. It's a tall order and one that can only be accomplished with your trust and assistance. We welcome the realization that artistic identity is molded by myriad factors, an amalgam of gender, racial, ethnic and sexual, to name a few. But we also know that honest artistic expression by the queer community plays a role in combatting homophobia and advancing the principles of intellectual integrity. Finally, and least important: our web counter records 1,500 unique visitors a day, and we have no plans whatsoever of going commercial. That's our commitment. Now, what's yours? QAR

I went to the release party for Raging Stallion's "Passport to Paradise" last Saturday and shot over 300 photos. Michael Brandon hosted the party and brought three of the stars, Pete Ross, Mario Cruz and Manuel Torres to sign autographs, greet the fans and do a little bump-and-grind on stage. I'm not a butt man myself, but Mario Cruz has such a shapely behind, I couldn't help but enjoy it. You'll see lots of shots of his ass in the VIP Room of Lavender Lounge (under the section Paparazzi Pix). I adore Pete Ross, too. I've shot him many times at club events and actually did one of his first full-on photo sessions here at my studio. I keep promising him that I will bring him back for another photo session now that he's more buffed. Keep pumping iron, Pete, I WILL set something up! But I wanted to do a spotlight on newcomer Manuel Torres, who for some reason, caught my fancy watching "Passport To Paradise". He was walking around the party in unbuttoned camo pants with suspenders barely holding up his trousers. What a chest on that guy! Yum. I felt like straight guy at a strip club trying to talk to him with my eyes staring at his knockers! At one point I finally quit the small talk and grabbed his pecs just to see what they felt like. I almost melted... AVN Online did a "Fresh Off The Bus" feature on Manuel Torres, and here are some quotes: Favorite sex act or position? "I fucking love and crave eating a hot guy's ass and love fucking them from behind, so I can watch their holes stretch to my dick." What are your long-term goals? "To have guys lust over me like I lust over them when I see porn. And to finish school and get my R.N., become a nurse, and start taking care of people in other ways then just fucking them." Hello, NURSE! I'm going to give you three options now. (1.) Visit the Lavender Lounge VIP Room to see over 300 photos of Raging Stallion's release party. (2.) See stills from "Passport To Paradise" in Raging Stallion's Rear Stable backroom. (3.) Buy "Passport To Paradise" from Raging Stallion's store.

The movie isn't even out yet and guys are bitching about the art direction of Falcon's "Heaven To Hell". One of the gay porn message boards (which I won't name because they won't link to me!) has a whole thread started about how "horrible" the tattoos look. Relax, they're just painted on. I don't think I'd want to see anything like that permanent, but the movie is supposed to be surreal. It's probably the same guys who complain that gay porn "all looks the same". I give Falcon credit (and Chi Chi LaRue, in her last movie for Falcon) for taking a little risk and trying something different. I attached another photo that I think is a better display of the tattoos, but you can see the whole series of photos and watch the trailer from "Heaven To Hell" at the Falcon website. It was shot in a downtown LA warehouse owned by a female porn star that is decorated in over-the-top whorehouse chic. Besides the outrageous tattoos, the guys wear devil horns, rhinestone studded dog collars, and glitter jockstraps. It sounds ridiculous, but think of it as a Ken Russell movie. Who can forget Ann Margaret rolling around in a vat of baked beans in "Tommy"? I say, if you have a chance to be fabulous - go for it! Why go halfway. Or think of "Fifth Element". It could have just been another Bruce Willis shoot 'em up science fiction movie, but they went all the way with crazy sets and costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier. Guys may not like to see Brad Patton wearing a set of white wings in "Heaven To Hell", but Steve Cannon wearing that set of black wings in Titan's "Fallen Angel" is now one of the most iconic images in the history of gay porn. Steve Cannon is more famous for wearing the wings (and eyeliner) than for his sex scenes. Falcon Previews | Falcon Website

Falcon Studios is now taking pre-orders for "Heaven To Hell", directed by Chi Chi LaRue. What makes it interesting is that it's the first Falcon movie cast entirely with Falcon exclusive models, plus Brad Patton bottoms for the first time on screen. But before the movie is ready to ship, you can see exclusive galleries of shots from Heaven To Hell and watch the trailer from the movie if you join the Falcon website. Looks like they've sewn up the GayVN Award for Art Direction with this movie! The stylized make up and costumes look amazing, I predict some clever muscle queens will be copying this look for Halloween. You can toss out your single glitter glove (now that Michael Jackson is no longer hip) and replace it with Josh Weston's glitter eye patch. Sexy! The set looks like it came out of Moulin Rouge and how DID they paint on all those elaborate tattoos? Heaven to Hell stars Falcon Lifetime Exclusive Matthew Rush, and Falcon Exclusives Tristan Adonis, Roman Heart, Dean Monroe, Kane O'Farrell, Brad Patton, Erik Rhodes, Joe Sport, Colby Taylor and Josh Weston.

Every week or so, I provide members of the Lavender Lounge VIP Room with links to Falcon movie trailers and segments from Falcon's "Alone With" series. I only run four free video clips at at time, because I want to just give you enough of a taste to encourage you to join Falcon's website to see ALL their videos. This week I watched the trailer for a movie that came out last year called "Born to Be Bad". It features Falcon Exclusives Pierre Fitch, Bobby Williams, Kane O'Farrell and Joe Sport, Falcon Favorites Rod Barry and Cade Devlin, and former Falcon Lifetime Exclusive Jason Adonis. Besides it being the first time I took notice of Pierre Fitch (gawd, is he adorable or what?) I also found some beautious photos of anouther unknown up-and-comer named Kane O'Farrell. Kane is also on the boxcover, and I have a feeling we will be hearing more from him. (Pierre Fitch is on the left, Kane O'Farrell is on the right and in repose.)