June 2005

June 28

It's pouring outside as I write this. The ferns and the hostas are straining under the force of the rain and appear to be giving up for now--they just let themselves collapse under the weight of all the water. It's so dark out that the Christmas lights on light-sensors have all turned on. I've got a pot of coffee downstairs and the table fan is creating a nice breeze up here in the loft where I work. I have some nice quiet music playing (of course) and I'm finally sitting down to add a little something to this sadly neglected page.

Here goes...

The Wet Palms Shoot:

I've already written that the last go 'round for this project (last October) was the most enjoyable shoot I'd been on since I started in this game. Happily I can report my anticipation of a good week came to pass. The cast and crew of Wet Palms are--to a person--just a bunch of nice folks. Since we all stay at The San Vicente Inn (where the series is shot and set) the week had about it the feel of a summer camp project or a group vacation on which someone had brought a camera along. Granted, the crew (who worked 10- and 12- and 14-hour days as a rule) might not concur completely with that assesment, but for those of us in the cast, it was a heck of a lot of fun. In addition to my sex scene (more on that below) I had a bunch of little dialogue scenes. This being porn, the level of acting, um, varies, so different scenes presented different challenges. But there were a couple that just took off and flew. I had one with Michael Soldier (who plays my evil brother) that was so much fun we wanted to keep doing it.

The week pretty much flew by. I managed to see a couple of L.A. friends, but not as many as I had hoped to. Some are probably miffed at me for not calling them. I do always think I'll be able to accomplish more than I can.

Oddly, I managed to see more people at Gold's Gym in Hollywood than anywhere else. Honestly, Gold's is such a scene that you have to experience it to believe it: celebrities, models and so many gorgeous men that you'd think it was a movie set.

A couple of memorable Gold's moments:

1) Running into Colton Ford (my all-time favorite porn star and a big reason I decided to get into the biz. I wanted to do a scene with him. Unfortunately he had already quit the industry when I got into it. Rats!) After seeing me pop a couple pieces of gum into my mouth he asked if I had any more. "No, but you can have these," I replied. "Okay," said Colton as I kissed him and slipped my gum into his mouth. I'm getting chills even now thinking about that!

2) Walking on the treadmill on the upper level of the gym, with my iPod on shuffle. Just as the love theme from "Quest for Fire" started to play in my headphones (and, yes, I know that it's really weird that there is a love theme from "Quest for Fire" and even weirder that I would have it on my iPod) who should come walking up the stairs directly in my sight but Ron Perlman, who starred in the movie! I'm not making this up. I mean, who could?

The last night of the shoot (and my last in town) was also the final scene of this series of the show. It was shot at The Abbey, which is a fixture in West Hollywood--café, nightclub, bar--everyone winds up there eventually. The scene was a big public event at a club with a special presentation and, after someone makes a speech to the crowd, someone is shot and killed. Oddly enough, my last movie (Michael Lucas's Dangerous Liasons) has a final scene which is a big public event at a club with a special presentation and, after someone makes a speech to the crowd, someone is shot and killed. It was kind of odd.

After the scene was completed there was a big party and lots of friends from the biz showed up.

It was a nice capper to the week. I left the next morning for home, very ready for a little peace and quiet.

But it was not to be.

Just before I left L.A. I was asked by Frontiers Magazine to interview actor Malcolm Gets. Malcolm is a Broadway type of great renown who, among other things, is starring a new movie called "Adam and Steve", which is having its West Coast premiere at Outfest, the L.A. gay/lesbian film festival. I'd never met Malcolm, although we have many friends in common (and to get even more coincidental than even I thought possible--you may need a pencil and paper to keep this one straight--I went to a book signing in L.A. for Martin Moran, whose memoir The Tricky Part was just published. I had also never met Marty, although we were both in Cabaret on Broadway at different times, but--once again--had lots of friends in common. As I was waiting for the event to start, Lea Thompson walked in. Lea and I were in the tour of Cabaret together, but--here's the crazy coincidence--her co-star in her series Caroline In the City was, yup, Malcolm Gets.)

Since I wouldn't arrive home until Thursday night we decided I'd interview Malcolm by phone on Friday so I could catch my beath from the trip.

But it was not to be.

Susan (who I hear is brilliant as my sidekick in the final scene of Michael Lucas's Dangerous Liasons) called me the day before I left L.A. to say she had been to the closing sale at The Plaza Hotel (it's going condo. I know: shocking!) and there was something I should probably get. Long story short: I now own a Steinway baby grand piano from the Grand Ballroom. The price made it impossible to pass up.

The one caveat was that it had to be removed by Friday evening. Sooooooo, I decided I'd just head into town on Friday morning, interview Malcolm in person and arrange for the piano to be picked up later that day. I was going to see my friend Eric in his (well-reviewed by the New York Times) play The Whore of Sheridan Square on Saturday, so one extra day wouldn't kill me. And, heck, as long as I was in town I might as well stay for the Pride parade.

Apart from a traffic jam, which made it take two HOURS! to cross the George Washington Bridge (people were just turning off their cars and getting out. It was like a Stephen King novel) the day went fine. Malcolm was a dream. I got way more material than I could possibly fit into the interview--I actually had to drag myself away to get to the Plaza--and the piano movers arrived and packed up the baby grand and whisked it away to the warehouse, where I'm going to have some reconditioning done on it.

I watched the parade with my (other) friend Eric and roasted under the sun. I drove back upstate yesterday (Monday) morning and did absolutely nothing all day.

Which brings us full-circle, I guess.

Except for...

I Heart Marcus Iron

I gushed like a schoolgirl on this page when I found out I would be doing my sex scene in Wet Palms with Marcus Iron. He was on the crew of Leatherbound back in January (which is where I first met him) but I had long been enamored of him simply as a fan and viewer. We shot our scene the morning after I arrived in L.A. (which was a lot nicer than waiting until my last day in town, which is what usually happens.) Let's just say there were sparks on that set, baby. I think the scene we shot that day is probably my new favorite. So much so that I don't really care how it comes across in the movie. Heck, I don't even care if there was tape in the camera. It was just so much fun that the experience itself was reason enough for the trip west.

Marcus and I kind of hung out the rest of the week and--I'll admit it--I got a wild crush on him. Thank god he's already got a great boyfriend (for years) because I'd probably be stalking him at this point and restraining orders can be so tedious.

Honestly, he's one of the nicest, smartest, down-to-earth people I've met in a long, long time. I think I'll hold on to my crush for a while longer.

1) Here I am at the party after the final day of shooting with Marcus Iron (my new husband) and Zak Spears. The slightly dazed expression on my face is due to the fact that I'm standing between Marcus Iron and Zak Spears. 2) Mr. Pam (our cinematographer on the series) setting up the final shot of the show. She climbed up in to the rafters at The Abbey and took what should be a terrific shot. 3) That's Jacob Slader with me and Marcus (my new husband.) The funny thing about him is that he's usually got a huge grin on his face--until someone whips out a camera. I mentioned his website a while back when it first got underway. It's been completely re-done since then. Have a look. 4) This is Sister Roma. She's a member of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and played a new character in this set of episodes. She's sweet and talented and we had a terrific scene together (along with Brad Benton.) 5) The adorable Pete Ross. he plays the pool boy this time out. For some reason, every time we shoot a new set of episodes whoever plays the pool boy can't do it. It's become a running joke. 6) Hmmm. This one's kind of tough to explain. See, in the story, Bret Wolfe's character thinks he's had a baby and carries this weird doll around. Mr. Pam donated one from her collection for the shoot. Y'know, I don't really know what the fuck it's all about, so I won't pretend that I do. 7) Michael Soldier helping Zak into his tie for the final scene. Don't the three of us look exactly like we could be brothers? NOT! 8) Frankly, I think maybe Mr. Pam gave birth to the baby. There's definitely a resemblance. 9) Mr. Michael Soldier has got to be one of the most creative and talented people I know. Also one of the most fearless. He gives 110% in any performance he does and the stories of those performances are both hysterical and kind of scary. Like the time he got butt-fucked on stage by a bunch of lesbians wearing strap-on dildos. You gotta love it. 10) The very cute and very polished Ethan Marc. We all got to get dressed up for the final scene. 11) Like I said, I don't know what the fuck is going on here. 12) Matthew Moore, our director (R) running the show. 13) Roma with Pete Ross, our pool boy du jour. 14) Bret Wolfe in repose. A rare thing, that. 15) Marcus Iron (my new husband) looking beautiful. 16) A gal and her camera. Mr. Pam directed a behind-the-scenes documentary called Exposed about the making of Colt's Buckleroos that just premiered at the SF Gay/Lesbian Film Festival. I can't wait to see it. 17) The two goofiest men in porn: Rob Romoni and Michael Soldier. 18) The beautiful Jason Ridge being made even more beautiful for a photo shoot. 19) A gal and her boy-toy. 20) The gang waiting around during our photo-shoot. It's kind of unbelievable to me, even now, that I get to hang out with a bunch of porn stars. 21) There's no truth to the rumors: we're just good friends. 22) There's some truth to the rumors... 23) With Marty Moran at his book signing. I asked if I could take our picture together and he said, "OK, but I'm going to cuddle." Fine by me! Marty's known as one of the very finest actors around. 24) Lea told me she just made her directorial debut with a movie for the Hallmark Channel (in which she also stars.) She crinkled her nose and said, "Y'know, it really wasn't that hard." Thank god for candor. 25) It's new home will be much more modest, but I think it will be very happy in a cabin in the woods. Sort of like a racehorse being put into genteel retirement. 26) Finally, this year's contingent of Dikes on Bikes at the start of the NYC Pride Parade.

Unacceptable!

That's what I'd call the delay in getting this Calendar update into print. When I said I was going to slow down a little on the site, I imagined a leisurely pace--not utter stagnation. My apologies for this. The reason is, of course, the crazy pace of the past two weeks. You should see all the unreplied-to e-mails in my inbox. I'll try to see that it doesn't happen again (too much.)

I just posted an article I wrote in the new Blue Magazine. Take a look!

One final thing: I just heard from PayPal (a year and half into it, mind you) that they don't allow their service to be used for sites with adult content. While that won't affect current gallery subscriptions, it does mean I'm going to have to find a new way for folks to subscribe. I'm not sure I want to go the Badpuppy route because it puts the site into a different realm (of existing strictly as a commercial enterprise. Color me "idealist", but that's not what I had in mind for gusmattox.com from the beginning.) Honestly I'm tempted to wait until the current subscriptions run out and just open up the whole thing for free. I'll figure it out soon, hopefully, and let y'all know.

June 14

Not much to report, I'm afraid. Just getting ready to leave for Los Angle-eeze tomorrow, studying my script (GiGi laughed out loud when I said that) and looking forward to a week without this godawful humidity.

You all know how I like to plug my friends. Well, their projects, anyway. Here's the latest: My friend Eric is up from A'lanta doing a show at La MaMa down in the East Village. It's called The Whore of Sheridan Square and was written by a handsome guy I know from the gym named Michael Baron. (His being handsome is not an endorsement of the play and should not be construed as such. However, if you get a chance to see his legs in the skimpy gym shorts he always wears, don't pass it up.)

The play is loosely based on the playwright and actor Charles Ludlam, who founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company way back when. Those of us who got to see Ludlam in his plays are profoundly fortunate--he was a genius.

I don't know nothin' about this play other than Eric's playing the lead and that it somehow has something to do with Sunset Boulevard and that he has a new costume change for every single entrance he makes in the show. But I'll be there the second weekend of the run (since I'll be in L.A. this weekend when it opens) and I can't wait.

Eric's got a fun blog, too.

Here's the groovy postcard for Eric's play. Here's the back, with all the pertinent info.

I shaved off the biker 'stache since I can't have it for the Wet Palms shoot next week. But as long as I had a Wade Neff thing going on I figured I ought to have a picture or two in my cop uniform. One thing led to another and it soon got out of hand, so there's a new batch of pictures on the Auto-Erotica gallery. Here's a preview. God, you'd think I'd be able to find something more constructive to do with my free time. But then again, maybe not.

June 8

So, I'm assuming y'all noticed the new Homepage picture? It's only the second time I've changed that picture since the site got underway a year and (almost) a half ago. This time the change is due to a whole set of pictures I got just yesterday that I wanted to share. I mean, why should the guys on bigmuscle.com get all the fun? My buddy Hudson Wright thought it would be fun to do a shoot together here at the house before it's sold (and while I still had the biker 'stache I mentioned to him an e-mail.) Far be it from me to turn down an opportunity to have my picture taken by one of the best out there. Plus, his company is so much fun that I would have been happy to have him come up to the cabin even without his camera.

But he brought his camera. And about 3 tons worth of other equipment. My eyes were like saucers when he pulled up the driveway, his Jeep piled high with lights and strobes and power packs and cables. I thought he was nuts (which he is, of course) but was also pretty thrilled to see he wasn't just thinking of a point-and-shoot kind of gig. This was going to be the real thing. So early yesterday morning (just after the neighbor's rooster started crowing. That's right--THE NEIGHBOR'S ROOSTER!!!!) Hudson wandered out onto the back deck and started to peer through his fingers to see what would make a good composition.

Somehow (I'm still not quite sure how) he talked me into filling the wheelbarrow with soapy water and climbing in. I'm glad he did--I think those pictures are funny and sexy at the same time. A grand combination in my book. For no one else would I do that.

It was only our second shoot together (after meeting on the Dangerous Liasons set) and we've become such good friends that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get a hardon in front of him. Not because I'd be embarrassed, just because I thought we'd be laughing too much.

I managed.

There are some choice outtakes, though (most which you will not be seeing) of a very silly Gus Mattox clowning for his genius photographer friend. There are a couple of previews on the Gallery Sign-In page. Have a look-see!

S, P) Two shots of my back deck-cum-photo-shoot-location after Hud got through with setting up all the gear. Q) Hudson made me promise not to post this picture, but I don't think he reads my site so I should be safe. You can see my knee in the bottom left-hand corner. After I snapped the picture I put down the camera and Hudson took R) this super shot.

I just finished reading the scripts for the next three episodes of Wet Palms. Dang, they're funny! Jack and Mike have done it again with their witty/sexy dialogue and scenes. I was kind of disappointed they haven't figured out how my brother (played by Zak Spears) and I are going to "do it". Surely, one of us could teach the other a lesson--the hard way! Maybe I'll improvise a completely new ending on-set. Just like Roman Polanski did while shooting Chinatown.

I'm flying to L.A. next Friday and I'm really, truly excited about it. I may even log a few extra Calendar updates whilst I'm there.

Things on the buying/selling/moving/building front are in a holding pattern. The kind of that comes naturally while waiting for closings and showings and listings and all that really boring stuff that comes with real estate. I mean--why can't they just let me go over there and start planting perennials, for god's sake?!

I've got big plans for the little shack (pictured in the previous entry) which I'll be starting on before I build the new house. I'll put updates here or on tomjudson.com (which doesn't exist yet) or both.

Yeah, let's see... A photo shoot with a great photographer, a trip to California to shoot a really fun movie and to have sex with a really hot guy, then home again to start work on a really cute cabin.

Hmmm... you ain't hearing no complaints from this corner.

June 1

I think I'm finally caught up on my sleep from last weekend at IML. I wish I could say it was all due to an excess of sex, drugs and rock and roll, but I'm afraid it wasn't. No sex, no rock and roll. And the only drugs was a handful of Advil at the end of every day to quell the headache I got from smiling so much.

Let me explain:

Most of my time was taken up being a spokesmodel (along with Adam Dexter, Zak Spears and Arpad Miklos at the Colt booth. Don't get me wrong--I was very happy to be there, but it's hard work standing on your feet all day and greeting The Peoples. I did get to say "howdy" to a lot of people with whom I've been corresponding, and that was a really good thing. And I made lots and lots of new friends.

But I was also in bed by midnight every night! I'm not kidding--it was exhausting.

A couple of highlights at the booth:

>Kris Weston (the director of Leatherbound asking a customer if he'd like Gus Mattox to autograph the DVD he'd just bought. "Yeah, sure, I guess," was his answer. I just hate when they grovel.

>Talking with someone about my musical comedy past in front of the monitor in the booth and turning around to watch myself piss into a jar.

>Any moment spent standing next to Zak Spears.

The other guys and I also did a few appearances and presented at the Grabby Awards. You'll be relieved to know I lost all the awards I was nominated for. I'm battin' a thousand, folks!

All in all, while my weekend was fun, it wasn't exactly exciting (in that way, anyway.) I was so busy, in fact, that I actually forgot to take pictures, even though I had my camera on me the whole time. A bunch of other people did, however, so I'll post some as they come my way. Keep checking back in this space for more fo-tos.

s) with the lovely and talented Michael Knight. e) with Arpad Miklos and Adam Dexter at the Grabbys. Adam is a sweet (and crazy sexy) guy. He's also suprisingly unassuming. Until he gets in front of a crowd. Then he turns into a borscht belt comic. We had to drag him off the stage. He's a sweetie. x) with Tony Serrano, with whom I spent several memorable moments last year kissing like a drowning man at Will Clark's boat party. I remember it quite well. I even have the pictures to prove it. e) Moi waiting to go on at one of the events during the weekend. Clearly I'm already exhausted. d) The whole gang at another event. That's Kyle Lewis in the foreground. Cute, huh? .)Brad Benton and company at a Will Clark event. Brad is the goofiest, sweetest person you will ever meet. He's not doing his devil-hand thing in this picture. He's a freak, plain and simple.

Now It Can Be Told

Remember a couple of weeks back when I teased y'all with my potential co-star in the next episodes of Wet Palms? Well I saw Michael Stabile in Chicago (he writes the series, as well as the gaypornblog--both with Jack Shamama) and he confirmed that my co-star and (I think) love interest is going to be played by...

Marcus Iron!

Man, oh man, was I thrilled when I heard that! And get this--he's playing a cop! Could it get any better? I'll answer for you: no, it couldn't. I've had a hardon that won't go away ever since hearing that news while walking on Michigan Avenue on the way to score some Frangomint cookies at Marshall Field.

Frankly, I don't care what happens on the rest of the shoot this time around. I get to play with Marcus Iron, and that's all that matters to me.

Yippee-ti-ya-ay!

And now for some real news:

I am --gulp-- selling my house.

Crazy, right? You thought I loved this house so much, right? So what the heck am I doing letting it go, right? It's precisely because I do love the house so much that I'm selling it.

Huh, Gus????

Here's the thing: I found a gorgeous piece of property just 10 minutes away that affords me more privacy, more land and a view of the mountains. But, basically, I'm going to rebuild the same house on the new property, but just a little bigger and just a little better (like with room enough for a washer/dryer!)

Fittingly enough, the new property has a one-room cabin on it (sound familiar? That's what I bought here 5 years ago) in which I can live while I build the new house. Of course, being the big foofy fag that I am, I'm going to renovate the little wonder first so I have a cozy little cabin to call home for what will most likely be through the beginning of next year.

I imagine you're thinking, "That's all well and good, but just how is this going to affect me?"

Here's how: Activity at gusmattox.com is going to slow way down. Remember how building the deck a couple of months ago brought the site to a standstill? Well, imagine building an entire house (and a half, for that matter.)

You may have noticed that I missed (for the first time) my self-imposed every-two-weeks Soapbox deadline. It's starting already, I'm afraid. I hope to be able to take a week off here and there to shoot the occasional movie, but I can tell in advance that the Calendar and Soapbox entries are going to be much more sporadic than in the past.

For that I apologize and beg your indulgence while I build a new nest in another tree. I'm not abandoning this website by any means. But it is going to slow down considerably.

There is one other new project I'm contemplating that might be a little more regular, though. I think I just might launch tomjudson.com as an online journal of the housebuilding. If I do there will most certainly be a link from this site whenever there's an update.

Wish me luck!

It may not look like much now, but you mark my words: in a matter of weeks it's going to transform into the cutest litle cabin since, well, since the one I'm in now.