Demystifying Gay Porn

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/450796/open_sms] 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 [https://www.patreon.com/demystifyinggayporn]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/450796/open_sms] 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 [https://www.patreon.com/demystifyinggayporn]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/450796/open_sms] 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 [https://www.patreon.com/demystifyinggayporn]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/450796/open_sms] 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 [https://www.patreon.com/demystifyinggayporn]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/450796/open_sms] 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 [https://www.patreon.com/demystifyinggayporn]