OUTzoneTV.com: Hi Jonathan, how are you?
Jonthan Adler: I’m good. I was at the site. Are you guys bringing Manhunt back?

OZ: You can watch all of the episodes on the site. And there are some interviews with all the cute boys.
JA: Oh, I was giddy. That’s hysterical. I thought there was a new season.

OZ: No, it’s just for the eye candy.
JA: Wow. It’s pretty gay over there at Bravo.

OZ: When did you know?
JA: At birth.

OZ: What do you think gay people should be doing right now?
JA: Being gay being creative, and continuing to be creative because I have a feeling that’s what we are here for. To work and have fun and fight for our civil rights..

OZ: Tim Gunn famously said on our site many times that anything having to do with taste and style is in the realm of gay men.
JA: Yes Agreed I almost ... no I am completely not spiritually oriented and I don’t believe in anything but I always feel if straight people are here to create more people then gay people are here to create culture.

OZ: Ah, so Bill O’Reilly as “culture warrior?”
JA: I just think that they are silly and stupid. They are narrow minded poopoo heads . And that’s all I have to say about that.

OZ: We saw you the other night on Andy Cohen’s adorable little webshow: “Watch What Happens.” And you brought your dog, How old is the dog?
JA: Liberace is 8. And for the record, we don’t always talk about the dog’s gas. But some days, it definitely is too much. I wrote about him in my book. Simon and myself and even though I believe in gay marriage I’m probably not the best spokesperson for it because culture warriors on the right always say that if we give gay people the right to marriage, what’s to stop gay people from their dogs and I hear that and I think, “What a fantastic idea.”

I would love to marry Simon and Liberace and have a relationship so I should probably remain mute on the subject of gay marriage.

OZ: Whats your end game? What do you want to do at the end of it all?
JA: To get to be creative, play around and design fun, great stuff . I’m sort of living the endgame, I have to admit. I have the greatest bloke of all time and I love what I do.

OZ: What kind of advice would you give to youth who want to be some kind of designer, actor, whatever…
JA: I think the key is a weird weird combination of many things obviously but I think that resilience is an underappreciated virtue and super hard work and patience.

OZ: Okay, here are some of our rapid fire questions.
Middle name: Paul.
Favorite color: You’re asking the wrong guy.
First kiss: Boy or girl? Well a girl when I was twelve at a skating rink and a boy when I was about 18. Named Matthew.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla
Favorite TV show? I think "The L Word" right now. Did you know that it is fucking incredible I am hooked. Wait, let me amend that. I love New York City. It’s my favorite tv show ever.
Best movie ever? Safe or Network
Last book you read? “Nasty” by Simon Doonan. Which, its probably the 80th millionth time I’ve read it .. whenever I have a book to read I always just grab it and pick it back up. Have you read it?
OUTzone: Love it.
Your secret celebrity crush? Sting. Because of the lute.
OZ: Design trend that just needs to die?
Minimalism.

But really, the guy made an impact in his short time, and is already missed. He blasted through episode one with a dramatic fight. And he practically ruled episode 2. He started the show off with a bang sharing his HIV status with the contestants. And John ended the second episode with a dissapointing thud by being voted off the show for not finishing his room.

But of course, the first thing we want to know is what happened in episode 1 with Michael, the little rat who can't paint! So we called John in Chicago and asked him a few questions:

Was it just bad luck that you got stuck with a bad teammate, or was Michael really that lame?

The #1 question people keep asking me is: Why were your eyes so red in those scenes? They were red because what actually happened was that that was my very first confessional. Michael was so completely clueless that I went into the confessional after crying really hard. I was in such a state, the situation was so crazy, that I thought the producers had planted Michael. I even asked them: “Did you put him on just to cause controversy?”

On the other hand, I felt bad for him. I thought, this is not me. I would rather take Michael home and mentor him and teach him. But I had 8 hours to finish that room or I was going home. It was the worst situation I have ever been in. He did absolutely nothing.

Yes, I learned a lot, I have to say, which was one of the reasons I went on the show.

What did you learn?

Validation, validation about who I am. If I didn’t go on that show and be who I am, that wouldn't have worked. I had to go on there and be myself. And I did that. I’m proud of that.

That was a big issue on the first episode, it was the undoing of the team that lost. Where did John learn that he was good enough?

By going through hell. I was born and raised in a very small town in Illinois. If you take away all the nursing homes, churches, and cars…there’s not much left there. I was kicked out of my house as a teenager for being gay. When my mom found out she asked me and I told her “I thought so.” Then I remember being pushed down four concrete stairs and garbage bags of my stuff being thrown at me.

My family came around, eventually, but only for me to find out that they were tolerating me and not accepting me. It became very clear when my brother was getting married and it was my birthday. I was going home because we always have a big cake for everyone in the family when it’s their birthday. And I had just met, or no, I’d been dating this guy for a year and he had given me an engagement ring. My family had never met him and I was so excited to go home and show my family my ring and a video I had made of us, as a way of introducing him. But they didn’t care. They were so happy for my brother and his engagement, but not me.

I looked around and said, “The first time I left this family you kicked me out. But if you don’t start to accept me, I’m leaving.” From that point on they came around, and have become amazing.

In episode 2, the HIV announcement comes very early and catches everyone by surprise. Did you plan it at all?

Well, there’s a whole big scene leading up to what was actually shown. The next morning, after the challenge, Michael woke up bantering about me and I could hear him upstairs because in that loft you could hear a pin drop. Michael was really bashing me and I snapped. I walked upstairs and told him off. We got into a bit of an altercation. Some time passed and everyone was talking about it. Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out what happened. That was not me acting so harshly. What had I done differently?

Then it hit me. See, when you’re 40 years old, your testosterone drops, and when you’re HIV positive your testosterone drops. So like a lot of gay men my age, I get 100-milligram shots of testosterone. It gives me more energy; helps me fight the disease; and keeps me emotionally balanced. So before I went on the show the doctor suggested a 400-milligram shot. I’d never done that much and didn’t know what would happen, but it made me more irritable, and me less tolerant of Michael.

I decided that these people, the contestants, deserved an explanation for my behavior. They need to know why I was behaving differently. I’m very open about being HIV positive. It’s just as big a part of me as wearing jeans right now. Why would I want people to get close to me and then run away when they found out later? I’d rather they find out now.

Where you an advocate before the show?

No, I’d never been to a rally or anything. I didn’t think of it that way. I thought I was just sharing something with 10 of my new friends and I didn’t care. They deserved to know. But I’m glad it happened. If more people talked about then more people would get tested. There shouldn’t be an uncomfortable situation around talking about being HIV positive.

What’s next for John Gray?
I’m going back to my work with Gray Consulting. It’s really a full-service consulting business because I do so many different kinds of things. If I go to a client’s house to do a design consultation often I end up giving them opinions on other things. It started because I am so detailed about my design work, and because I give my opinions so freely. Clients started to ask me other things such as “What do you think of these Christmas cards?” or “What about this dress?” So I felt like the name Gray Consulting described the depth of what I do.

After the show airs and you’re gone: Who’s going to call you first?

My niece.

And what is she going to say?

She’ll tell me how proud she is of me.

Want to find John? You can email him at johngray@grayincinteriors.com

Very soon his website will be up and functioning at www.grayincinteriors.com. And because he’s a new man of the media age, John even has a myspace page: johngraychicago.

We live in a celebrity-crazed age where more Americans can identify Brad Pitt than the vice president. You know, what’s-his-name.

Don’t blame “the world’s most outrageous columnist,” Michael Musto.

Sure, he’s been dropping names with a glorious spatter since 1984—you know, back when The Village Voice was an edgy alternative weekly that people actually paid for at newsstands. He’s just feeding the hungry public what it craves. And now he's serving up a 344 page helping of his classic collumns in a new book, "La Dolce Musto" (Carrol & Graf).

Though he didn’t exactly invent gossip, Musto was the first to mash celebrity news tidbits, gay politics, snark, and shameless self-promotion into a stream-of-conscious chatter that is now the lifeblood of Gawker.com, Defamer.com, PerezHilton.com, and countless other shrill voices in the blogosphere.

If you need proof of his supremacy (or, at least, his age), look no further than his new book, “La Dolce Musto,” named for his caustic, long-running column in The Voice. It's a quirky collection of his favorite rants and packed with boldfacers like Madonna, Babs, Rosie, Teri, Jacko, Julia, Mel, Brad, Liza, Anderson, Paris, and more.

We recently caught up with Musto between gigs to talk about his new book, and about staying vital among the torrent of feistier, younger, competitors.

Joan Rivers at the release party for Michael Musto's new book.
(party photos courtesy: Thomas McCall)

What possessed you to compile this collection? And why In an old fashioned book when anyone can access your columns online?

You can’t access 75% of them; the archive doesn’t go back that far. I’ve culled the best from over 1000 columns and put them all in one nifty little package, with a new introduction summarizing my career. It’s breezy beach reading in the winter.

You’ve admitted to coasting at The Village Voice for over 20 years. But hasn’t gossipmongering evolved during that time?

That was a self-deprecating joke. It’s actually harder than ever because there’s more competition than ever. On the bright side, there are more celebrities because there are more venues for them to be created. There’s more to write about, but you have to do it in a more cutthroat way to stand out from the crowd. It’s impossible to coast. I have to work twice as hard to dig deeper and trashier. I try to go a little farther over the edge every week.

What’s your secret to longevity? Do you ever tire of dishing celebrity hoo-ha every week?

My job is endlessly fascinating. My secret is professionalism. Half the battle is turning in clean copy on time. Despite the fact that I’m constantly going after celebrities with a verbal pick-axe, deep down I’m a fan. I actually love celebrities and I love what I do. I approach each day—and each night—with fresh enthusiasm. That helps me stay relevant.

Ivana Trump and Amanda Lapore at Musto's bash.

Does your, ahem, advancing age keep you from covering the party scene?

By all rights it should have stopped by now. I should be wheeled around or have people carrying me. [Nightlife reporting] is still the focus of all my energy and I have nothing else to distract me. I pour everything into it. My whole life is work, play, play, work. It’s all interrelated, and it really suits me. I don’t want a mundane home life to come home to. I don’t want anything to come home to except a bed, so I can repeat the cycle. I’m running away from something, but hopefully I’m running toward good things too.

You’ve been called everything from the “Queen of NYC nightlife” to the “Margaret Mead of the party set.” How do you describe yourself?

Any of those terms are wonderful. I’m delighted to be called anything. Basically, I’m a ho.

Gossip is shallow, but sometimes you add depth with pet causes, like AIDS awareness and urging celebs to come out. Any others?

Any of the gay causes have been my personal torch to carry from the beginning. I’ve always had the freedom to write whatever I want—no one at The Voice ever said I must stick to gossip. I’ve done whole columns on AIDS issues. I like to write about celebrities cowering in the closet. Back in the day I wrote about Boy George, George Michael, Rosie, Ellen, and now look at them.

Musto and drag king Murray HIll.

Who are your favorite closet cases?

[laughing] Jodie Foster, Sean Hayes. They are open-door closet cases. They won’t say it on the record but they try to live a fairly honest life. Ricky Martin and Clay Aiken are other examples. When Barbara Walters asked Ricky Martin on TV about his sexuality, it was a huge breakthrough because before that, everyone was pussyfooting around it, as it were. Larry King will ask a guest now. Larry King is now the voice of reason. Wow, what a world.

How has the internet changed celebrity gawking?

Lance Bass, Neil Patrick Harris, and T.R. Knight were partly driven out by Internet speculation. The whole world reads this stuff. In the old days it was just me screaming in a corner in an alternative weekly. Now I’m online and I reach more people. It’s all over the Internet. These celebrities have to come out, because everybody knows already.

What’s your take on bisexuality? Can’t a guy love his wife and suck some dick on the side without having to wear a rainbow flag?

That’s another problem called adultery, and would make it rather newsworthy. I have no problem with real bisexuality. The problem is that there are gay celebrities hiding behind the cloak of heterosexuality or fake bisexuality. Sure, it’s out there—Alan Cumming…Anne Heche. Ambisexuality, fluid sexuality, whatever you want to call it, it does exist. I will make room for it.

You drive people insane with your blind items. Why not tell all, if it’s the truth?

People assume it must not be true if you make it blind, but that’s not the case. They are true but they’re so litigious you have to be cagey how you report it or you’ll end up in court. You don’t have the gerbil x-Ray or the handcuffs or the aborted fetus to present as physical evidence. It’s the most popular column I do because people really get off on the delicious torture. There are blogs that give away the answers. Some are really accurate—it’s scary.

Who is the most bizarre person you’ve ever interviewed?

Michael Alig, the Club Kid killer. He didn’t care what was printed as long as he was mentioned. That’s the credo of every club denizen, but he took it to a sad extreme. I usually go after people I like. I thought Anita Eckberg [the Fellini star] would be delightful, but she turned out to be a walking crustacean. The best interviews are people like Carrie Fisher and Sandra Bernhard, because they know how to play the game and deliver fantastic copy. I love celebrities—it’s their handlers I hate.

Don’t PR reps help you? Don’t they know that bad press is better than no press?

No, they haven’t gotten that memo. They think their appointed job is to say no to everything. They are anti-publicists. They antagonize you and have you hating their client. A few years ago Tory Spelling’s publicist wouldn’t let me go near her. But when [Tory] saw me, she ran over and was thrilled to talk to me.

In one column you joke about writing quotes ahead of the actual interview. Have you ever seriously been accused of making stuff up?

[astonished laughter] Oh God, no. In 22 years, I have printed zero retractions and I have never been sued. Which is amazing since I always forget to bring paper and I end up scribbling [my notes] on stained napkins and toilet paper.

One intriguing column describes your recent sexploits and newfound sexuality. Why has it taken so long?

That’s what I wanted to know, because suddenly I was attracting guys like flies. I was in a low emotional state and I was projecting this neediness. I usually project this leave-me-alone quality, which is unintended because I’m painfully shy. Most of them I just made out with and threw away like dirty napkins. But one guy became my boyfriend for 4 months. He had no idea who I was, but he wanted a life partner and that really scared me. I don’t even want someone to stay overnight.

Don’t you at least offer them a shower?

No.

--David Kennerley

OZ: We’ve heard rumors that you’re not modeling anymore? Is that true?
Yeah. I still do a little bit. But I’m really acting now.

OZ: That’s great! How’s it going?
It’s pretty slow, actually. The Holidays and all. I’m doing a lot of training and studying and trying to perfect my craft.

OZ: Are there specific roles you're interested in?
You know, one day I think I’ll be choosy, but right now, I’ll take what I can get.

OZ: You grew up in Florida, do you get back often?
You know, every six months maybe. I’m going back for the holidays. See the family.

OZ: Do you feel like people associate you with "Manhunt"?
A little bit. I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m attached to it. I think people recognize me from other work I’ve done. I’ve gotten a little bit of recognition from it. But nothing major.

OZ: Do you think being on the show will help you further down the line?
It was good working on set, being around the cameras. The experience was great. As far as acting and the industry, it’s different. Acting and reality: They’re different ball games. So even though I wasn’t acting on the show, people don’t really use that as credible acting experience.

OZ: Right. Your bio says that you’re into sports like hockey, football, wrestling. Are you still active in those?
I’m an adrenaline junky. I’m into extreme sports. Mountain biking, boxing, I’m going to start doing some Brazilian jujitsu pretty soon. I also do a lot of stuff in the ocean. Kayaking. Paddleboarding. Surfing. Anything I can get an adrenaline rush from. I really love mountain climbing.

OZ: Do you feel like the show provided a realistic look into the world of Male Modeling?
I think so. It definitely gave a little insight into how the modeling world works.

OZ: The gay community has really responded to 'Manhunt,' have you heard anything about that?
From what I hear, we’ve gotten positive responses.

OZ: Are you in touch with the other guys?
Maurice. I talk to Tate every once in a while. I see his family and all the stuff he has going on. I’ve run into Rob a few times out here in L.A.

OZ: We have to ask, are you dating anyone?
No. I’m having fun right now. Focused on work mainly, trying not to get tied up in any relationships.

OZ: We’ll let you get back to it. It’s a pleasure talking to you, Kevin. You take care.
You too.

OUTzoneTV.com: Let's start off with everyone's favorite show right now. What's your involvement with “Heroes?”
Tim Kring created it. And he’s a peach of a guy. The whole experience has been really fantastic. My agents called and said “you have to read this.” And they never do that. They’ve tried in the past, and there’s stuff that I kinda go, “I don’t get it. I don’t know if I can get excited about writing that.” I’m sort of a workaholic and if something doesn’t inspire me then I cannot, at all, dream of working on it. And I read the script, and it as one of those things that in my gut I thought, “this is going to be HUGE.” The diversity of characters, the metaphor of feeling that you need to be giving something back. There are issues of destiny and fate. And all those things I really like to write about. I knew it would be a really great ride. And I knew it would be a big hit. So I joined a fantastic staff that Tim pulled together. And it’s been the best writing experience I have ever had on a show.

Everyone on staff has such great strengths. People who know this genre inside and out. Everbody on the show is both a great…plottist? Is that a word? But they’re also great character writers. So I really think it’s a great collision of magical events that all of these people came together. And I think it’s to Tim’s credit that he’s really come to it and allowed everyone to give to it as much as they can. So it’s very Utopian. When you think about a writing staff- this is what it should be.

HEROES

What were the shows that you watched as a kid? And what shows do you think influenced you the most?
The “Twilight Zone” has to be the biggest. It was the first time that I was watching television that wasn’t confined by the boundaries of reality. In my house, growing up it was often westerns and very grounded kind of stuff on TV. So when I first discovered the “Twilight Zone,” it was an epiphany. You don’t have to talk about things that don’t necessarily happen? And of course, I was a huge fan of “The Munsters.”

Which Munster did you want to be?
I think I was Eddie. You know, sleeping in the drawer. A little inconspicuous. And you know, he had a pet dragon, that’s not a bad thing to have around for emergencies.

You created Showtime’s "Dead Like Me".’ A show that was very much science fiction, that spoke to very relevant issues. Can you talk about that?

DEAD LIKE ME

I think that’s what shows like “The Twilight Zone” and “Star Trek” do very well. They look at our reality through a fantastic context. And you get to see different parts of your reality that you wouldn’t see every day. It sort of sneaks up on you. I think that’s what “Battlestar Galactica” is doing so well right now. Just politically, in terms of the war in Iraq. It’s a show that’s indicative of this era. They’re using the annihilation of the human race to tell this story that taps into a lot of the issues that we’re experiencing right now. That would be very unpleasant to sit down and watch every week, because they’re too real. But when you put it on the level of space opera, it becomes a little more palatable, and a little more poignant.

We’ve uncovered a million theories on why “Dead Like Me’ was cancelled. Anything you can shed light on for us?
I wasn’t involved with it when it was cancelled. I think there are a lot of reasons. I think all the theories that have been postulated play a role.

Is it true that the father was supposed to be gay?
Oh yeah, there was an entire episode where (main character) George would find out that her dad was having an affair with one of his male students. And that he was actually gay and about how much more special her life was since her dad was gay and wasn’t really meant to procreate. And so what she lost was much more valuable in retrospect. So it was a very poignant and complicated episode. And they changed it, so that he was sleeping with one of the female students. Which is less specific and less interesting for me, but I was always sort of annoyed by that. I still bear a grudge.

Well, also you created a character. This is what this guy was created as, and they’ve made him…
Ungay. Yeah. It was insulting to me as a gay man, the idea of making a gay character into a straight character.

Do you come up against that in writing? Do people not want gays on TV?
I think it definitely still makes people a little uncomfortable because they are working for corporate entities. They have to appeal to mass audiences. And as we’ve seen politically the past few years, it’s a sticky subject. I don’t think the people who work in TV are homophobes. I mean, you can argue that it is homophobia, and of course at many levels it is. But I don’t think it’s overt. I think they’re constantly looking for any excuse that anyone might have to change the channel. I think they want as many people as they can to watch things. And the very real fact unfortunately, is that homosexuality makes people uncomfortable. As much as we’ve had “Will and Grace” and the loathsome “Queer as Folk.”

Ooh. Loathsome. Dish.
I do see the purpose that "Queer as Folk" serves. There is a chance for people to look around and say “Okay, there are gay people all around us.” But for me, I hated all the gay people on the show. If anything, I would be the character in the parking lot with the baseball bat. They were all, down the line, just loathsome people and I really resented them being at the forefront representing homosexual culture when they were all so reprehensible.

I think “Will and Grace” did a lot of good, and I have mixed feelings about that. I think that the politics got a little strident on occasion.

“Will and Grace,” now that it’s off the air, has also entered a new realm of conversation. It’s being referred to now as a bit of a minstrel show.
Well, yes. There was most definitely a Steppin Fetchitt aspect to that show. But I would much rather have Will and Jack representing me than any of those people on “Queer as Folk.” Any day of the week. They’re icky.

Talk a little about “Wonderfalls.” Where did it come from?
Todd Holland and I got together and we started brainstorming and he was always fascinated with the Joan of Arc legend. And I guess what I brought to the table was the attitude of, “okay if we’re going to do Joan of Arc, let’s make the character as specific and curmudgeonly and reluctant as possible, so there’s a bigger arc to the journey.” And that really was such a great collaboration with Todd. And I’m really proud of the series. That was the show I wanted to make. Todd, and Tim and the writers that we had was a marvelous combination.

And I think that it’s definitely something I look back on fondly. I have the little wax lion on my desk here.

WONDERFALLS

We often talk about that period of time at Fox as a dark hour. That was the Season that “Wonderfalls” and “Firefly,” were canceled within range of each other. What’s up with Fox?
It’s hard to say. There are shows on Fox that I absolutely love. I love “The Simpsons.” And “Arrested Development,” you know – Fox did get behind that show in a big way. It just never got the ratings. Credit really is due there. They did want to save it, but it just didn’t draw an audience. I watch Fox though, and it’s like those Carls, Jr commercials. It’s so heavily geared toward the heavily testosterone set, and I’m just not in that half of the venn diagram. And so I watch the fox ads and I think, okay there’s all these guys yelling at each other at the top of their lungs: “I’ll bring you to justice!” And then there are explosions. I think they’re trying to define the networks’ point of view and I don’t know that they really know what it is. So, that’s very frustrating. I think there are a lot of great people who work at Fox, and I really feel for them.

I think that Fox is very good at marketing one thing inside one box, but everything outside that box, they suck at it. When we went to them with “Wonderfalls,” they had no idea how to market that show and I said, “really? It’s pretty cut and dry. Crazy girl. Hears voices?” But it was just outside of their wheelhouse and there was no getting them to drink out of that pond. If I may coin a phrase.

What we like about it is that the character is the plot and it’s a refreshing thing to see.
I think that everyone on this staff has that “character as plot” skill. And everyone is able to meet each other in the middle, and the good news is that it meets on screen. Which is how Tim designed the show, that the characters tell the story.

What do you ultimately want to write? What’s the big goal?
Right now, it’s to continue doing what I‘m doing. I’m very excited about “Pushing Daisies,” I hope it makes it to the air and finds an audience. And after having this experience on “Heroes,” I just want to keep writing things that inspire me. I’ve been very lucky in my career to have come in to this as a fan, and then become professional and then find my own voice as a writer. Then to go to someone else’s show and to be able to contribute my own voice. It’s a chorus experience. There are a lot of voices that meet in harmony.

Which is the best you can hope for, actually.
It really is.

Bryan, you’re an absolute pleasure to talk to.
Thanks for calling.

HEROES

OZ: How does it feel be OUTzonetv.com’s sexiest gay of the year?
I’m totally excited.

OZ: Who was the first person you called?
My boyfriend. And then my dad. And I was like, “Hey dad, I have some news. I sent my picture to this website a few months ago, and they voted me sexiest of the year.” And his response was, “Cool, man. Did you have to be nude for one of those?” And I said, “no, Dad.” He was proud.

Obviously some sort of "sport" that Kevin plays. We're not sure which one, but we like it!

OZ: How did your boyfriend react?
His co-worker heard the news actually, and wrote a blog entry about it at “Broadcasting and Cable” She was like, “oh my god, can I blog about it?” And yeah, everyone’s excited.

OZ: We found out you co-founded a non-profit…
I’m the Treasurer, Vice President and Co-founder of the Northeast Two-Spirit Society, which is a group of gay and lesbian Native Americans here in New York City.

OZ: Wow. Now, we know a lot of people are confused by what “two-spirit” means. Can you tell us about it?

OZ: 500,000 of them in fact.Which, I put that picture up a few months ago. And didn’t really think about it. I had seen an ad for OUTzone during a commercial break on Project Runway, and so I went, saw the gay of the day, send my picture in, and forgot about it until you guys called me.

OZ: Where was that picture taken? We’re in disagreement. Fire Island or Provincetown?
Provincetown. One of my friends rented a place right on the beach and we were feeling extra special that day. You should see the rest of the photos, they’re a bit racy.

OZ: Send them in, we’ll put up a gallery. You also write a blog?
Two in fact. One of them is through the Northeast Two Spirit Society. It’s a blog for two- spirit, Native Americans. News that’s going on cross country. And you know, funny things that are going on. And then the other one is “entry level heiress.” I haven’t been keeping up, I got lazy over the holidays. But I’m jumping back in. And ever since I’ve been voted sexiest by Outzone, by traffic has been way up. My readers love it.

OZ: And the tattoo is not real?
No. It’s fake. It’s a henna tattoo. It says “Forest,” which is the name of my boyfriend.

OZ: How long have you been together?
Two and a half years.

OZ: Where did you meet?
We met at a rooftop party, the Friday before gay pride. And at that point, I had really decided, you know what? I’m going to be single for the rest of my life and that’s okay. Maybe humans evolve to the point where they don’t need people anymore. And I was great with it. And as soon as I got to that point, I guess, you know, once you’ve totally written men out of your life, then you meet them.

OZ: Was it love at first sight?
Uhm. No It wasn’t. (laughs). The real story about that night, and Forest knows this, I was really into this guy, whose name was Tim. He invited me. But Tim was downstairs and Forest was upstairs on the roof, so I was trying to talk to Tim. I thought Forest was cute. He used to be in a frat. Hot. So I ended up getting both of their numbers and took off. And then I dated both of them for the first couple of weeks. Until Forest won out. He’s totally amazing.

OZ: Awesome. Well, it’s a pleasure to talk to you. Anything you want to say to OZ readers?
Yeah. Thanks for voting for me. And if you see me on the street, stop me and we’ll chat.

OZ: So, overall, how did being on “Manhunt” go for you?
Great. Right afterwards, I was signed with IMG in New York. They signed John and me. I moved to New York for nine months of the year, I was in LA for the remainder. And that’s what I did for my fulltime job for about two years. I’m still represented by IMG, but I’m no longer doing it full time.

OZ: What are you up to now?
I run the men’s division for a fashion company.

OZ: Were you always interested in fashion?
Yeah. I went to law school, but I knew that I didn’t want to do that. A friend of mine started his own company, and I went to work for him. And then I kind of moved that into a new profession.

OZ: So, you were the last gay standing, and you made it to second place. What was that like?

OZ: Right. Except that odd episode where Hunter kind of freaks out about it.
I think those are personal issues. When people are on a TV show, they act a certain way. They’re aware that they’re being filmed and that people are going to be watching them. And so they want to create a certain type of illusion.

OZ: Well said. So, after the show was over, did people recognize you solely from it?
Yeah, and that was good and bad. I received some work as a result of it and I lost some work as a result of it. There definitely is a cheesy factor when you do a TV show. But in a sea of models, it does do something different. I was in Milan for the shows one season, and I received some requests for casting because they knew me from the show, but at the same time, I know I didn’t get at least one job because of the show. It’s give and take. It’s like cheating. Sometimes when you cheat, you do fine, sometimes when you cheat, you get caught. And you can’t take the easy road and always expect to have the best results.

OZ: Do you feel like the show is an accurate representation of the world of male modeling?
Not at all. It wasn’t really modeling at all. I mean, the aspects that are correct are the photo shoot. You’re photographed, the film is developed. So that’s the same. But typically, your clients aren’t rooting against you. I think that there is something about the show that deals with instant rejection, and … you’re not always going to get the answer that you like. On the show, I was always told I was too skinny. And then I booked a national campaign that I was fired from midshoot because I was too big. On the show, I kept getting told I needed to beef up my chest, I needed to beef up my shoulders, I was told all of these things. And in the real world… you’re always too big, or too skinny. You just have to stay true to who you are and hopefully people will respond to it.

OZ: When we interviewed Bruce Hulse, he said that there are very few models working today that are in the closet. What’s your take on that?
I would say that’s pretty inaccurate. Really false, actually. I was just looking at my friend’s myspace page just now. And it says straight. And I’m quite sure that he isn’t. I would say that when I was modeling, at least, I knew many many guys that were openly gay to their friends, but very closeted professionally. There may be more guys who have come to terms with it on their own. But in my opinion, the industry is not super accepting of gay men.

It sounds terrible to say, but there are a lot of gay casting agents. I think they love that tension and play of …you know, the rough and tumble straight guy that they’re going to put nice clothes on. Or take them off. I saw more homophobia from other gay men, as far as casting agents, than I did from straight people. It’s a reverse prejudice in a way.

OZ: Are you in touch with any of the other guys?
We email back and forth. Oddly enough, John and Maurice were the people I kept in touch with the most. Maurice was signed with the same agency as I was. And he’s a really nice guy. We email sometimes. We’ve hung out. And I lived with John in New York after the show aired. We lived in a model’s apartment for a while. John’s very popular in Singapore, so he lived there for a while.

OZ: Are you dating?
Not right now, I’m single.

OZ: Is there anything that we should know about the world of male modeling?
I would just say that he saddest thing about male models: the most important thing is to get an education and have your own thing going on. I have friends who are on the top few spots of models.com, but they’re not making that much money. You can make some money doing it, but unless you really luck out, only the top one percent are going to have anything to show for a modeling career, as far as finances go.

You need to make sure you can fall back. You can make a lot of money, but there are a lot of expenses. You pay your hotel, and your travel, and it isn’t fun living in a room with ten people. On a futon. It can be disgusting. It’s perceived as glamorous, but it’s sad because it’s a lot of waiting around. It’s like being a pot-head. You really have to do something that makes you a better person.

OZ: It’s a pleasure to talk to you, Rob. Thanks so much.
Thank you.

OZ: What are you doing now?
I’m a construction supervisor. I moved down to Florida. I’ll be going to the Police Academy in March.

OZ: Do people still recognize you from the show?
Not anymore. But when the show was airing, it was really big in New York. When the show was airing it was ridiculous. I’d get stopped by like 25 people a day. At least.

OZ: What was it about modeling that you didn’t’ care for?
People tried to pressure you into doing things that you’re not really comfortable with.

OZ: Like what?

OZ: Wow. Did that happen a lot?
It happened on at least three castings I went on. Two were photographers and the other guy was an editor.

OZ: Is it strange to have a gay following?
No no, not at all, not by any means. It’s just that photographers, some of them think they can do whatever they want. Did you ever see "America’s Top Model"? The Tyra Banks one? The little short fat guy with the glasses? That’s one of the guys that did that to me. So, I had to push him into a wall, and he was like, “Get out!”

OZ: Are you dating?
I’m engaged.

OZ: Congratulations. For how long?
It’s about a year. When I moved out from New York, August 17th of last year, I moved down here, got away from the whole scene, thought I’d settle down a little bit.

OZ: Are you friendly with any of the other guys?
I still talk to Maurice and Tate, I talk to Paulo once in a while.

OZ: What did you learn from the experience?
How to get along with people and interact with different people in general.

OZ: Had you modeled before the show?
Yeah, I did a little modeling. Some runway stuff. I was overseas for a little while. Then I came over here and I was asked to be on the show.

OZ: Do you feel like the show was an accurate representation of the world of male modeling?
To a certain degree, I guess. Of course, they’re gonna view what they want to view. But all in all, I would say yes. Reality TV is going to portray people how they want to portray them. You know? So each individual is going to have their own … cast or whatever you want to call them. So I was picked to be who I am. I think they portrayed me to a T, but I think other people, they pinpoint their faults, and then they went with that.

OZ: Would you ever go back to modeling?
Yeah. I definitely would. It’s just I’m getting old, you know, everyone else is in their 20s, you know, I made the decision now, do I do this now and then eventually start over fresh at 30 or 34 and do what I want to do then? Or do I do it now? So I decided to do this now. Either way, it’s not something you’re going to do forever. I had a blast, though.

OZ: Well, thanks for talking with us Kevin.
Thanks.

OZ: How are you doing?
I’m doing great. Just chillin’ in LA. Enjoying the weather.

OZ: Is that your home base now?
I’ve been here for the filming and from there, I might stay while the show is airing.

OZ: So, the modeling is going well, for you, then?
Yeah, I have a few agents around. And some of the main clients that I work with are great. I’ve been doing a lot of stuff for Nike. Matt Lanter and I did a Nautica campaign together. He’s doing a lot of great stuff.

OZ: How effective do you think “Manhunt” was in helping you launch a career?
Well I was doing some modeling work before that. But I think the show…I ended up getting third place and IMG sent me to New York to help get me representation. And they helped me get to a point where I was…I basically got to choose who I wanted to represent me. And that’s hard, if you don’t have someone helping. You have to submit yourself and hope that someone picks up your file. So, getting to pick my own type of agent was really great.

OZ: Do people associate you with the show, or do you have your own notoriety now?
On Myspace, I get hits from outside the country. Canada and China. It’s airing somewhere, and I get messages on MySpace form Singapore all the time. It’s pretty cool.

OZ: What was the experience of doing it at the time? Were you guys sequestered from the outside world?
We weren’t allowed to talk to anyone. They took our phones away. You can’t watch TV. They wanted all of us that were in the competition, they wanted to catch our real perspectives around each other. And on TV, a lot of people like drama. I get along with everybody. I’m not so interested in the drama. I think there were a few guys who had things against each other, but I didn’t really.

OZ: So overall, it was a good experience for you?
Oh yeah, I had a great time doing it. They treated us kind of like kings. You couldn’t leave or really go anywhere, but anything you wanted, they definitely brought around and gave to us. It was good. It was really positive.

OZ: OUTzonetv.com is airing "Manhunt". Do you get a lot of attention from the gays?
I do know that gay people took a liking to the TV show. Which doesn’t bother me. I’m not gay, but I’m not homophobic. I have gay friends. I feel like, if you’re comfortable with who you are, then you’re comfortable. I think a lot of people are intimidated by gay people. A lot of the people on MySpace who friend request me, they’re gay males who remember me from the show. Just going to New York, most people in the industry, clients, photographers, agents: basically. If you have a problem with gay people, you’re going to have a tough time being a model. You’re in the wrong industry.

OZ: Are you still in touch with guys from the show?
Actually, yes. I’m good friends with Jon Johnson. Matt Lanter. I still see those guys every now and then.

OZ: What have you been up to lately?
I did a show for Adidas. Nike, actually, I’ve done a few really great shoots with them. I’ve done, like 10 jobs with Nike. We have a good relationship.

What are you up to now? Modeling? Acting? Where?
I'm currently represented by My Mother agency in Las Vegas, Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency in LA, Seoul Entertainment in Seoul, South Korea, L'agence Presse in Japan, Major models in Milano and I have been living in Los Angeles to be closer to the Janice Dickinson Modeling agency.

I would love to get into some kind of acting, but for now I'm being taken on a nice ride with my modeling career -- it's a passion of mine! :)

How was your experience on the show? Did you love it? Hate it?
The experience on “Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model” was, in fact, a great time -- especially skydiving in my underwear for the first episode! I never thought I would have that kind of opportunity and I loved it -- as for the rest of the show itself once it aired ... it didn't get the right marketing even though we had some great billboards out in Times Square and LA and all over bus stops, but for some reason it just wasn't taken so seriously by the community.

Did it help your career? Or do you wish it had done more?
As for my career in the industry after being on the show, I would say NO it didn't quite do much for me personally gaining more jobs or getting other representation. I was only on for a couple episodes anyway, but that also gave me the chance to be able to quickly get back out in the real world of modeling and go from there.

After seeing the show and the different photo shoots they did -- I could have rocked them, but I had to go when the judges said, and the best part is that I still keep in touch with some of the guys -- it's hard, since everyone doesn't live near each other anymore, but that's what was really worth being on the show is the friends you make and meeting the great crew that worked behind the scenes!

Stuart Krasnow, Executive Producer on the show, is an amazing guy that I truly feel is a great friend of mine!

Is there anything about your personal life you can share with us? Hobbies? New car? Partner? Romance?
New in my life now -- well I just became an Uncle back in October, so that was extremely exciting -- thank you to my sister and bro-in-law...my niece is BEAUTIFUL and cannot wait to see her grow up and be the COOL UNCLE to her!

No new car -- been living around different places too much that I cannot seem to save the money to really think about materialistic things like that YET!

As for romance -- I did just meet an amazing person about a month ago. It's all about taking life day-by-day and working out details in the present. I really like being involved in this relationship, but I'm leaving the country very soon - let's hope I can continue it when I get back! :)

And your trip to Asia: What's it for? Work or Pleasure?

Well, I'm flying off to Seoul, South Korea for a 2+month contract and then I just got a Japanese agency to represent me, so I may even just go from Korea to Japan and work off that contract too - I could be gone for as long as 4 months, but it's the opportunities that I'm given that I take full-force and if this is going to be a gain financially and even spiritually - then I'm more than happy to be a part of it- it's about being a skinny, Utah-boy now having life experiences with new people, places, cultures that I accept into my life and embrace it whole heartedly! So you could say that my line of work in this industry is definitely a mixture of both business and pleasure!
:)

Only one man survives “Manhunt”, passes every challenge, and returns every week – other than the winner – Bruce Hulse, the master of ceremonies. So of course OUTzone had to catch up with Mr. Hulse first. We caught Bruce on his cell phone while he was on his way to the gym (of course!) and asked him about his experience on television, gay dances in the ‘70s, as well as the world of male models today. After a long, friendly, illuminating, and enlightening conversation – he’s nothing like the guy he plays on the show—Bruce is now one of our favorite Manhunters of all.

OZ: Can you start off by sharing your personal experience with “Manhunt?” How did you get involved?
Well, I’ve been modeling 25 years. I’d actually had the idea myself, about a show similar to this, and was talking to my agent, Chris. When the show came up, ING approached me and asked if I’d like to host. I said, “Definitely.”

OZ: What have you been doing since the show aired?
I’m coming out with a memoir in June that Harmony is publishing. It’s sex-drugs-and –rock-n-roll, you know, starting out in the 80s, and tells my journey through the modeling world.

OZ: Have you thought up a title yet?
Not yet. Any ideas? The two that I have discussed with the publisher are “Male Model: A Memoir” or “The first and Last of the Male Supermodels: a Memoir. What do you think? Maybe any readers can suggest a title … (Editor’s Note: Suggest a title for Bruce’s book in the comments section below. ) It’s basically about my quest to find happiness and balance in the crazy world of modeling.

Vintage Bruce

OZ: On “Manhunt” you definitely play the part of a host as part drill sergeant. How close to the real you is that character? Because let’s face it, you’re really tough on those guys.
You know, I’m a longtime Buddhist. I believe in love and compassion and all that, and when the producers approached me and said, “You should kind of be a little like a drill instructor with the guys here” – it was really totally against my character to go out there and criticize people. But I’ve been a long time athlete, so there is that locker room humor. In the first episode when I was going down the line critiquing the guys, and you can sort of hear everybody sort of laughing at the other end.

OZ: We’ll be going to the gym right after this interview, promise! Do you feel like the show accurately let us into the world of male modeling?
Yes and no. I think it was filmed very fast. Some of the casting, if we’d had a little more time, we could have gotten a better group of guys that would have been more representative to the real world of male models.

I think as far as the photographers that the show had, they weren’t the Peter Limbergs and the Bruce Webers – the A-list -- but they did okay. I’ll say this. It was definitely more realistic than “America’s Top Model,” in the sense that after the show is over, those girls will never work in the fashion industry. These guys will work and have worked in the industry.

OZ: It’s interesting to us that female models have a larger sense of celebrity. Why do you think that is?
One of the running jokes among male models is to ask another model, “Who’s the most famous male model?” and the answer turns out to be Fabio. The guy on the book covers. And he’s not even a male model. He’s Fabio. But if you go up to the average guy or girl, they’ll say Fabio. I mean, some people might say Tyson now, but it’s just that we have never gotten the same recognition. Or name recognition. I was just at a celebrity ski fest this past weekend and people approach me all the time and say, “I know you, why do I know you?” And there’s no name attached. You’ve done this whole body of work and they recognize your face, but they don’t know your name because male models never have their name attached to the work they do.

And I think part of that is the cosmetic industry, they want to market women with names. Part of it is magazines where they try to create stars and it’s been frowned upon for males in the business. In the early days of GQ, they were really focusing on the models. I was on the cover of GQ, and all that, but now it’s almost sinful to be a male model. Where as a woman it’s glamorous -- they date rock stars. For guys, it’s almost a little shaming.

And then there’s this: They don’t call them “female models” – we’re “male models.”

OZ: We never thought of it that way.
And then you add that Zoolander quality to it … thank God the guys who do it have a sense of humor about that. It’s like a fraternity, this business. I was in Hawaii shooting a thing for Gant, and there were a lot of new guys. It’s a brotherhood. You immediately want to know: Who are these guys? Where are they from? It was funny because we’re lined up, and there’s a kid there who’s going to Columbia, another kid from USC, another kid who was captain of the football team at Duke. And I went to Cornell. And here we are, this group of smart, good-looking guys. We’re thinking, “What are we doing here? What could be next?”

OZ: Do you think that male modeling has come to the forefront of mainstream culture as gay culture expands its reach?
When I started in the business in the early 80s, probably 80 percent of male models were gay. These aren’t exact numbers, but that’s the way it was. Then there was this new sort of athletic look, there was more money in it, and then the demographic changed for male models, to like, 5 percent gay and the rest straight. I always say that gay men and lesbian women have made my career as a model. The photographers, the art directors, the agents, the hair and makeup people they have so much to do in the business.

OZ: It seems that male models have been good for the gays because they combat the impression that a man can’t be beautiful and masculine, strong and exposed at the same time.
The most successful male models, the guys who have flourished in the business are guys who are really open minded and not judgmental. They have to be guys who really love people, no matter what their sexuality: guys who aren’t afraid to wear makeup, get photographed naked, guys who aren’t afraid to be looked at. You have to be a free spirit, and I think the guys who flourish in the business are free spirited. I think the whole culture is changing.

I remember at Cornell in the early 70s, I was a kid out of suburban Philadelphia, and I was a freshman. There was a gay dance and it was this new and wild thing. And I think people were just beginning to really come out of the closet. People were not the most positive about it. And I think people’s attitudes have changed immensely in the last 30 years.

OZ: It’s refreshing to hear the world of male models described as a big, open-minded fraternity.
Exactly. It’s funny when I first came into the business; a lot of the gay models were closeted. They were afraid that if the clients knew they were gay they wouldn’t get the job. And now, it’s sort of like people don’t care. There are very few guys who would really attempt to hide it anymore, or stay closeted. The thinking was different even 25 years ago. I remember being on jobs, and guys talking to me and as soon as they figured out I was not the enemy, they would say, “You know, I’m gay but I don’t want to let anyone know, so please don’t say anything”

OZ: But there are still a few closeted male models today, right?
I’m sure there are some, but it’d be hard to find them. Back in the early 80s there were a bunch. The old school guys from Europe, the guys that I met when I started out, who really helped me out. Like Peter Keating. A lot of those guys are dead now, and sadly, from AIDS. They were so helpful and gracious and kind. They were clear with me, “See this person. Do this. Be careful of this agent.” They just embraced me with open arms.

It’s really a brotherhood. You know, whether straight, gay, bisexual, whatever – male models all love each other. It’s a big love fest.

OZ: Well that’s about the best line we’ve heard about male models yet. Thanks for chatting with us, Bruce.
My pleasure.

OUTzoneTV.com: First of all, Robert, how are you?
I’m very well. No complaints. I’ve been busy traveling. I just got back from Milan and before that I was in Tokyo. So it’s nice just to be back in LA for more than a day.

What else has been going on for you, besides the work?
Just the work. Honestly, the only thing that’s really changed is that people know me and I get recognized. I’ve just gone back to my life, and not be a bitch or anything, but to some degree there comes a point where you’re sick of it. Not like I hated the Runway experience, but I just want to move on sometimes. I’m the kind of person who thinks, “That was a great experience, but I don’t kneed to dwell on the past or relive it every ten minutes.” And I didn’t win, so I don’t really care all that much.

I’ve had people approach me with movie things and that would be interesting in terms of working on costumes. So, really it’s a matter of what I feel passionate about, and if it’s not going to be something I’m passionate about, then it better be buying me my house in the hills. And that’s how I sort of distinguish. Either projects pay a hell of a lot of money, or they’re really something fascinating that enriches me somehow spiritually, physically, sexually. Not sexually. I’m kidding.

Yeah, are you dating? How’s that going?
Oh, it’s not. Not at all. Like the Sahara. I think there might be more interest now, but it makes me more cautious. I don’t know why, I guess it just might be the natural progression about how that works when you’re on TV, you’re not sure that people aren’t just curious. And I don’t want to be the one where everyone’s like, “I slept with the ‘Project Runway’ guy.” I don’t want to be the easy project runway whore. I’ll leave that honor to Nick Verreos. Oh god, I’m totally kidding.

You’re still in touch with other contestants?
Yes. I’ve been talking to Laura Bennett, of course. Not as much as I should, because I’ve been traveling. And I have to call her and tell her congratulations on that baby.

It's a boy!.
Laura and I have a few ideas of stuff we want to do together. Mostly because she’s Laura and she’s cool. I talk to Kayne. Not often enough. I got a little “Happy Holiday” from Michael Knight. In that regard, the benefit was having met these people and I’m happy to have them in my life.

A lot of the contestants say that. It becomes a club after a while.
Yeah, well, who else is going to understand the madness that you endured? So, there’s that commonness. And at the end of the day, we ended up with a group of pretty cool people. With one or two obvious exceptions.

You watched the show. Did you enjoy the collections?
Oh, I was bored silly. I didn’t notice anything. Again, kidding.

Yeah, it was fun. Watching them in person is always better. You get crowd reaction, and seeing them up close is always better. Watching the finale was interesting -- to see the back story of what was going on.

You said earlier that you're working with kids who want to be designers. What do you tell them?
My advice to anyone who wants to go into fashion is make sure you love and make sure it’s your ruling passion. Don’t go into it for fame or money or the wrong reason. It’s something that, if you’re passionate about it, you might at some point make a great deal of money and hopefully you’ll make a decent living at it. But if you’re passionate about it, it isn’t going to matter so much. If you’re not passionate, you’ll just be bored silly, waiting to end up magically on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily. You’ll just be pissed off, more than anything else.

If you want to make money, be an investment banker. It’s the same thing about choosing projects. That’s how it informs me. It’s something I’m passionate about. So even though Barbie is just Barbie it’s still a challenge and it’s always fun. I always wake up looking forward to my workday. I know it’s going to be interesting to explore. If I were doing it hoping for money or fame, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.

One of the disservices that I think culture has done to fashion is that it seems to give people the impression that it’s simply an industry. It’s a business. Everyone from Gwen Stefani to Justin Timberlake should have a line of clothing. I think that’s horseshit. And I’m sick and tired of celebrities who feel that it is their right to design clothes just because they have a lot of money and a lot of profile. I don’t think that gives them skill or talent.

They have an army of stylists and they can afford the very best. And I think there’s an influx of this thinking in the fashion world. These people will dabble for a while, hire a capable team, who are probably very talented. But for all those people just throwing it together, there’s some student out there, who is really skilled at this, who should have a label and is being ignored. Of course people want to put money behind someone with a proven following. Of course they do. That’s business. It just has no place in fashion. Sorry. It’s pet peeve.

I think too, that the whole celebrity-obsessed culture has created a whole spawn of would-be designers, stylists, and what not -- with no real substance. They don’t know a thing about fashion, they know about hype. And I think it’ll go away eventually, and the mavericks will still be there. You know, Ballenciaga isn’t going anywhere, Or Chanel. Or Dior or whatever. I think that kind of goes hand in hand with this. Really love what you’re doing. Be personal. Don’t try to be someone else, or try to emulate something that you think is the version of success.

And I say that a lot to kids. The more personal you are about how you approach design, the better results you have. When your personality comes through, other people recognize it. Let’s face it. Hundreds of people are making clothes. What YOU have to say is what is supposed to be interesting to someone else. Yes, Barbie is a defined aesthetic. We’ve spent a lifetime here at Mattel figuring out Barbie as role model and who she is. What interests US is what your take on that is.

We know what it is, it’s got it’s own sort of power, but the freshness and re-energizing comes from some kid in Milan who comes up with something we haven’t thought of.

That’s strong stuff. Can we ask you some rapid fire questions??
Fire away.

Middle Name: Henry

Favorite Color: Blue

First Kiss: Camiar. He was French. I was 17 or 18. I was a late bloomer. Most romantic thing ever, though. I had gone to Paris ... God knows why. It was for school. There was some party for Parsons Paris, and he had a motorcycle. And we hung out together at this party. And he was just really sexy. Of course he had a boyfriend or something. It’s so typical of me. But his boyfriend was away so it was fine.

Chocolate or Vanilla; Eh. Both. Ooh. Dulce de Leche.

Favorite TV Show: That’s tough. My favorite shows are Real Time with Bill Maher and the Daily Show. My favorite all-time go-to show is South Park. They’re so damn funny.

Best Movie Ever: Oh no. There’s so many. My go-to would be Brokeback Mountain because I just saw it. And then, Moulin Rouge. too, because there are costumes and drama and Nicole Kidman. And then there are old movies too, like Darling with Julie Christie, which shaped my view of fashion. I’m a sucker for classics. Some Like It Hot. All About Eve. And then of course, the feel-good movie of all time Mommie Dearest. Whenever I’m depressed, have a cold, don’t want to do anything. I watch that movie. And life is better. It is what it is. The greatest film that’s ever been captured on celluloid. The most overlooked performance of all time. Poor Faye. Never got the credit.

Last Book You Read : The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, St, Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970’s Paris by Alicia Drake.

Secret Celebrity Crush: Gayal Garcia Bernal. It’s not so secret. I tell everyone. He’s straight, I can respect that. But if he ever decides to change, I’m available.

Fashion trend that just needs to go: It’s not really a fashion trend, but those crackberrys and sidekicks. People need to stop. And all they’re doing is texting someone saying, “Yo, what’s up?” How many times do you need to read that? People are texting at fashion shows and movies. At La Scala Opera House in Milan. I’m kidding I didint’ get in, but I’m sure they are. That’s not really a fashion trend, it’s a pet peeve.

Okay. So here is the question we always end with. You have the entire OUTzone/Bravo/Runway/website audience in front of you. What do you, Robert Best, feel like you need to say?
Oh boy. Get involved. I’m not the most political person, but I think that it’s a crime that a man who has lied to the entire nation is still in office while hundreds of young men and women die for a fake war. And I think too many people have sat by and watched it happen. As a country, we’re too complacent. And it’s not okay anymore. The world is going to hell in a handbasket. I don’t have children, but I would think that if you do, you would care a lot more than I do. The recent election is a good indication, but it’s not nearly enough. So get off your asses, get active, even if it’s a tiny thing. The more that people stop accepting the lies and get out and say they’re not going to accept a leader lying to a nation, and have the rabble die for the lie, while you ride off into the sunset on your oil millions – the better. It’s unacceptable.

Once again ... Strong stuff.
Yup.

It is always a pleasure talking to you. Please come see us if you’re in town.
I will. Thanks for calling.

Carlos, back in Fort Lauderdale, talked to OUTzone about his time on "Top Chef." We kinda totally love Carlos. Not only is he incredibly funny and a pleasure to talk to -- he's one of the most down-to-earth guys we've ever interviewed. Stop by his restaurant if you get a chance.

OZ: So. Are you a star publicly in Fort Lauderdale?
People are stopping me. Asking me questions. Asking for autographs. It’s all been really positive so far, no stalkers or anything yet. So I’m really happy about that.

OZ: Any unwanted come ons?
Unless they have platinum or diamonds, I’m not even considering it.

OZ: Hey, it’s good to have standards.
Right. And if that doesn’t work, lower them, honey.

OZ: How long have you been in Fort Lauderdale?
In October, it was our eleventh year. We moved down in 95. We run the restaurant together. He runs the house from the back of the house. He keeps an eye on everything.

OZ: Definitely. So. Let’s talk Top Chef. How do you feel about the team events?
I think those are more fun because you’re interacting with more people. There’s a crowd. And I’d worked for a lot of those events that those things take place at. So, I was just repeating myself over and over again. And I think that was helpful. You have to be, you know, fun and upbeat.

OZ: Are you watching the show ?
Oh yeah. Every Wednesday night at the restaurant. Business is booming. Every week there’s a theme. We make specials. Like a bite menu. Nobody’s really interested in a full dinner. They’re just trying to watch the show. It’s like dinner theatre.

OZ: We watch the show in the offices. It’s appetizing. It’s hard to watch it hungry.
Yeah. Each week, that’s what we do, whatever the challenges are, we sort of re-create them. That’s how we develop the menu. People really get a kick out of it..

OZ: So what inspired you to sign up for a reality show?
Well, after watching the first season, I was really hooked. And I’m not a reality TV fan at all. But I saw it and I said to myself: this is something I could actually do. And being self-taught, it gave me a chance to get a sort of Bravo diploma. The Top Chef degree. Which is amazing. Because I came back from the show with so much more confidence. It’s easier to talk to people. For the last couple years, I’ve been talking to a piece of chicken. That’s no fun.

OZ: You don’t mean your boyfriend. (Sorry.)
No. (laughs)

OZ: So we were looking through the Top Chef Questionairre. Your favorite international cuisine is Belgian. What? Really?
Well, besides the mussels, the beer and the fries, you also have these great sauces. They’re linked culturally to France, they’ve managed to keep this connection. The sauces are really actually quite special. They’re cooked. They’re reduced. They’re strained. And they are a complete sauce. You never see a “broken” sauce in Belgium.

OZ: Did you live there?
It’s a transfer point with one of my favorite airlines. We’d stay there whenever we went over.

OZ: The questionairre also says that you don’t like tripe.
The only way I would eat it is if someone were making it for years and years and it was like a family tradition.

OZ: What about family? Have they been watching?
Oh, they’re ecstatic. It’s just amazing when people say to you, win or lose, you’re still our top cehf. You can see the sincerity in their eyes. It’s really nice. Actually, my sister called me up a couple days ago to ask me how much longer I was going to be on the show. And I said, “you know, I can’t tell you that.” And she said, “yeah, but my kids can’t go to sleep until eleven o’clock at night!” Could you get taken off soon?

OZ: Where is your family?
I’m the only one who made the full circle. There’s some of my family in Miami, but my family is in New Jersey.

OZ: Full Circle?
I was born in Cuba. But you know, can’t go back there. (laughs)

OZ: So, the sleeping arrangements on that show look miserable. Bunk beds?
I haven’t slept in a twin bed since I was 12 years old. I was lucky. I was with Sam. Our twin beds were actually on the floor. No bunk beds. But, we shared our bedroom close to the common room, and they would shut off the air conditioning for sound quality and so it didn’t get cool in there until like 3am.

OZ: Right. You guys were filming during that heat wave last summer.
Remember that ice cream challenge? We’re all standing out there with twenty pounds of dry ice and ice cream strapped to our necks? The heat index hit 130 degrees that day. Six people died in LA that day. The only reason I found this out? I found a newspaper out the alley. We’re sequestered.

OZ: So you only go from housing to set to shopping to events?
You get your cellphone back in an emergency. But they decide what the emergency is. If your Mom died, they’re like, okay you can call home. My partner was the the only one who knew where I was. The staff at the restaurant – it scared the crap out of them. I just sort of disappeared one day. And I get that. If it’s not a surprise, then it’s not fun.

OZ: Were you impressed by the other chefs on the show?
Yeah. I really had a great time seeing things through their eyes. They all have different backgrounds. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. I think this season seems so much more accomplished.

OZ: Did you feel like any of the other participants were surprised that you didn’t fit into any of the reality-tv stereotypes? You’re a gay latino. And you weren’t “the gay guy” nor were you “the latino guy.”
I think they were amazed to find out how funny I was. They didn’t expect the comedy to be flow. I’m hoping that the blooper reel will be me. Because I was damn funny and I came across as so serious.

OZ: So what’s next for you?
Basically, I want to hold the mothership together. You know. We have the business here. The restaurant needs a lot of immediate attention. It’s very important for us to stay true. We’re the true neighborhood bistro. So there’s plenty of work there, to keep people feeling like you’re coming to their own neighborhood spot. I’ve always dreamed of cookbooks. I’d love to have a show. I’d call it the impatient chef.

OZ: You don’t seem so impatient on that show.
I know! The magic of editing.

OZ: Did you ever forget there were cameras?
After a while you have to. Otherwise, you couldn’t go on with things. You just kind of say, “hey I have to be me.” And if you’re concerned that there are cameras around, you’ll never get anything done.

OZ: Before you went on the show -- did you practice on any of the old challenges?
No I didn’t. In order to leave the restaurant for all that time, I had to bring in two new employees, so my time was spent training them. Because I tell you, if I really did think about how major this whole thing would have been, I probably would have been too scared to do it. And after I saw the first episode on the television, I thought, wow. This is kinda. Big.

OZ: You are a pleasure to talk to you.
So are you guys. Take care.

We could ask for her home number. And we got her work number. Close enough. Josie picked up the phone and continued to make us laugh for an hour. If this interview had sound effects: imagine a laugh track.

Where are you? And is that Spanish I just heard you speaking?

Yeah, and I’m at work, sort of. I’m assisting in the opening of a Mexican restaurant in Fort Green (Brooklyn). The owners brought me in to systemize the kitchen. The restaurant’s called Bonito. I’m really working just as a consultant. The chef will be Maria Rizzo.

What about the Spanish? That didn’t sound like kitchen Spanish.

I’m Puerto Rican-Italian from Miami where I learned to speak Spanish. I was born in North Carolina, but grew up in Miami – my parents moved there when I was five. All my friends were Cuban so I learned Spanish. So it’s better than “kitchen Spanish” but not perfect.

Being on TV isn’t for everyone. Luckily, you’re great at it. But it can change your life. Do you wonder now: What was I thinking?
Well, obviously I have some confidence. I watched last season and thought there was some talented chefs on there. Harold was one of my favorites from the beginning. I liked Tiffany’s food, too. Her attitude, well, now that I’m on this side: it was surely effected by the editing. I loved Dave and Lee Ann. There were some talented chefs, although I think there are more talented chefs this year.

One thing that came up in the first few minutes of the first episode was when you said goodbye to your girlfriend. Did you plan that moment?

I think it was part of my audition tape. And it was edited in.

Were you happy with that?

Yeah, it was cute. I’ve been with my partner for six years. She’s a very integral part of my motivation.

Hey, if we have to see Michael sleep with his wife’s underwear, we can see you say goodbye to your girlfriend.

It’s pretty funny because someone just forwarded a blog site to my girlfriend. Some people who were traveling just happened upon us where we were watching the show at a bar. And they made some comment about meeting the chefs and how we were surrounded by beautiful women. And they wrote that the one surrounded by the most beautiful women was Josie.

I have fun with everything I do and I guess what I hope to project on the show.

So far so good, you seemed really happy and enthusiastic about competing … until last night.

It’s is my approach to food. Besides cooking with love, which is a bit worn out, I believe in cooking with the right attitude. There’s something to be said about a chef that comes in and cooks with love and with a good attitude because it comes out in the food. People always ask me what my cooking style is and I say, well, I use fresh ingredients and I apply my life experiences. I let my life speak through my food. And my life is happy and blessed. That’s how I do it. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone enjoy my food.

I noticed on one Bravotv.com that you picked as “celebs you’d like to cook for” three comedians: Dave Chapelle, Robin Williams, and Sandra Bernhard.

I love to laugh and I think laughing is important. I want to make people smile through my food. I want to make them laugh. It’s my personality. I’m glad people think I’m funny. But the guys that I look to are people who’ve made me laugh. My family is hilarious. You can’t get us in the room together, it’s stand-up at the best.

Did you find yourself editing yourself from making jokes on camera?

Yeah.

Did you stop yourself from joking, cursing or just going off?

Going off. This is something I realized. I’m a professional. In my kitchen, I like to joke. But when I’m on national television, I understand that A #1, my friends and family know me. However they see me, they know it’s just Josie, no problem. But everyone else doesn’t. I don’t have control over how the show is edited. I’m not trying to offend anyone. My goal is to feed you well and make me laugh.

My goal on the show was to be myself and realize before I blurted anything out to realize, ‘I’m on national television.’

Especially because the fans are so sincere and careful watchers. They memorize the lines and watch the repeats.

Oh yeah. I have a MySpace account and have been getting 20 messages a day. And then after the Vietnamese challenge, I got like 100.

Yeah, were they about the flag issue?

Yep, but I sent a thank you to those people and then told them to take it up with Bravo. It’s heartwarming. It’s great. I get these middle age women, straight married women looking for a hug. I’m usually dumbfounded and just say, ‘Hi, okay… What’s your name?’ I don’t know what to say after that. I’m touched.

What’s next? I’m sure you don’t know… But what about What’s Next For Thanksgiving?

Well, I have a friend, and that leads me to this other idea:

Obviously, when I auditioned I told Bravo that I’m an out lesbian—actually I’m bisexual, but let’s stick to what’s been going on for the last six years. So okay, this is the situation. But I said I preferred that that wasn’t what was put out for me first.

Do you feel like that happened? Did Bravo help you with that issue or not?

No. Carlos and I were the token gays.

But it’s different because you and Carlos are not stereotypical gay people – whatever stereotypical gay people are… You’re very unique, and that’s great. Maybe it’s progress that even if you’re the tokens, Bravo got awesome, complicated tokens.

Thank you. Thank you so much. That’s something I’m so happy about. I’m getting messages from not only gay folks but from meaty guys and middle age women. The appeal of the show is so obviously across demographics. It’s like all of my friends, all of my friends are so different.

But when I did an interview with a lesbian magazine, they asked me if I had anything to say to the lesbian community and I said yes.

Stop being so damn catty with each other, really. Because we’re going to keep fighting and not supporting our sisters and everyone else is going to own the world lesbians are going to be still fighting for our rights. That’s how I feel about it. I’m not here to be a man hater, a gay hater. People are people. We are here as a community, a society. It’s our responsibility to be better people and be a better community. It starts with us.

Which leads me back to Thanksgiving. But it’s a party that I don’t have to cook at.

Oh yeah.

So often I get invited and there’s no food and then I take over. If I’m going to have my hand in the kitchen than I’ll host my own party.

Well, I hope you Thanksgiving ends up as a true party that you don’t get stuck with making the devil’s eggs.

Thank you.

Current job: Chef/ Co-owner of Hi-Life Cafe.

Cooking experience: 10 Year Restaurant Owner.

Restaurants you have worked at: In New York, Isabella's, Le Bar Bat, Chez Josephine, Caramba's.

Restaurants you would like to work at: French Laundry.

Chef(s) you admire: Julia Childs, Graham Kerr.

What cooking shows do you watch? "Top Chef," "Ret, Set, Cook."

Your top three favorite cookbooks are: Food and wine, Top Recipes, Vincent Price Treasures.

Your must-have kitchen accessory is: Cuisinart.

What is your go-to ingredient? Steak Blend Spices.

How many courses should a meal have? 3-5.

What famous person, living or dead, would you like to make a meal for? Eva Peron, Bill Clinton

What's your favorite style of cooking? Grilling, Caribe Bases, French Sauces.

What nationality of food do you like the best? Belgium.

Where do you find inspiration when creating a new dish? It's very organic, It comes from within, then I shape it and test it.

Who has been your greatest inspiration in the kitchen? Besides Graham Kerr and my family, I would say myself, I'm self taught, and will never stop learning.

What is your favorite comfort food? Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Do you ever eat fast food? If so, what? Yes. Burger King, McDonalds, Pollo Tropical.

Do you have a favorite partner that you cook with? Joseph JoJo Doyle.

What do you serve at Thanksgiving dinner? Roasted Turkey with mojo sauce. Oyster casserole, green beans with homemade onion crisps, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, grilled marinated filet, grilled asparagus, ceasar salad.

What's your favorite dessert? A creamy, thick, chocolate shake.

Are there wines or liquors that you cook with? A deep red win like Marques de Riscal, crsip white wine, a sauvignon blanc, then brandy or cognac.

What would be your dream job as a chef? Menu planner, event coordinator, or organizer.

Do you have a lucky charm of any kind during the competition? My father's corkscrew.

How do you handle the pressure of competition? When I have a plan -- it's smooth. If not, I'm a little panicky, then motion, then completion.

Who was your favorite Chef from Season 1 of "Top Chef," and why? Lee Ann, she had the complete package, the chops, the talent and the temperament.

What scent in the kitchen do you love -- what ingredient smells the best? Truffles.

What ingredient(s) do you avoid/dislike? Tripe.

What's your secret splurge at the grocery store? Foie Gras.

What's your favorite midnight snack? Chocolate Soy Milk.