Checking in on some of my favorite InstaHunks this weekend. What can I say? I like to look at nice things 🙂
First up, Jeff Ferreira (above) says he’s ‘single in Rio de Janeiro,’ but I spy two wine glasses in the pic…
Wait a second, though, international performer and former Mr. Continental, Ramon Ventura, appears to be in Rio as well – so maybe we could get the two together?
And another from Brazil! Jim Newman is getting into character for a photo shoot for a sexy doctor (don’t know why a doc would be shirtless, stop with the silly questions).
For the most part, it’s pretty safe to say the gays like Britney Spears and the gays like eye-candy. So, it’s almost a twofer that Brit’s man, Sam Asghari, is easy on the eyes.
Like a lot of folks, we’ve occasionally clicked on his Instagram thirst-traps for momentary brain breaks.
But, for some reason – and I still don’t know what it is – I was surprised when a Twitter user pointed out that Asghari had ‘Liked’ Instagram posts by Donald Trump.
Sure enough, I went to the Trumpster’s Instagram (which I never do) and, when someone you follow ‘Likes’ a post their name shows up, there it was.
Now, I want to be clear that a ‘Like’ on an Instagram post doesn’t signal Britney Spears’s “support” for Trump. This isn’t about bashing or calling out Britney.
And I’m not saying this is the biggest thing in the world. It’s not like he doesn’t get to like whatever political figure he wants.
But for some reason, it did make me pause.
Maybe since Britney has spoken out in support of Dreamers, and the Trump administration has gone after Dreamers to such a huge extent, it seems surprising? Maybe we assume couples tend to be like-minded?
Or Asghari’s Insta-posts go for that ‘uplifting’ kind of tilt that seems so the opposite of Trump?
When folks noticed the ‘Likes,’ Asghari responded in his Stories by making a joke writing, “I get soo many questions about politics and who I’m voting for…Let me tell you how much I know about politics! I think donkey and elephant both need to workout badddd.”
He added, “I’m in no position to point out and make statements about politics.” He went on to encourage folks to “do your own research and vote based on that information not based on someone opinion that barely knows who the president is.”
(screen capture)
Fair enough, although it seems like a dodge. I did wonder, though, does Asghari really get a lot of questions about politics and who he’s voting for? Or was he dancing around the Donald in the room?
I’m not demonizing Asghari, but the moment did move me to step back and ponder (again) how being good-looking gets some people a pass from some folks.
All you gays that keep liking Aaron Schock posts, I’m looking at you.
A couple of years ago, I was interviewing an InstaHunk for my podcast regarding a project he was working on, and in the course of the chat, it became clear through a couple of comments that he was a Trump supporter. And he remarked that ‘Russian interference in the 2016 election didn’t really happen.’
While it took me aback at the time before I posted the episode I checked to see if he was good with that being included and he said ‘yes.’
Sure enough, I got emails from listeners – who knew I’d featured the guy on my blog in the past – with some question marks and raised eyebrows.
I guess, in our own heads, we make a lot of assumptions about who folks are in their internet Insta-Lives and are surprised when things don’t align?
Who knows why Brit’s guy liked the posts? I know I don’t.
But I am paying a little more attention to who ‘Likes’ what on the Gram of Insta and then considering why I might be following them.
Fox News talking head Tomi Lahren responded to a tweet by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden that encouraged folks to wear a face mask (“Masks Matter. They Save Lives.”) by questioning Biden’s masculinity.
“Might as well carry a purse with that mask, Joe,” wrote Lahren.
“A purse?” Was she calling him a woman? Was she saying women are weak or something?
A lot of the Twitterverse thought the remark was pretty assinine including Spokane firefighters:
As we do one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. We’d carry a purse to if it meant keeping our community safe pic.twitter.com/Whcj0pSQXG
— Spokane Co.FD8 Firefighters (@spokaneco8_3711) October 6, 2020
Tomi is shaping public discourse with ignorant, moronic tweets like this. The damage she’s doing by discouraging masks is great. Such a sad, pathetic human.
You know what else isn’t manly? Using brakes Real men drive into trees or walls when they want to stop their car. Only wimps tap the wimpy wittle bwake pedal.
Cooking pork is wimpy, too. Real men eat it raw and deal with trichinosis like men.
Maybe 210,000 Americans wouldn’t be dead if we had a president who carried a purse. pic.twitter.com/Z9mwXZidHt
— Just a concerned citizen (@stop_cov_spread) October 6, 2020
In the military we wear masks for different reasons. First responders wear masks all the time. We are responsible for the safety & well being of this country. Seems a poor way to thank us by not wearing a mask to protect US for once.
Omg LOVE this idea! If he carried a purse he could put masks in it to give to people who forgot their masks/don’t have one, thus slowing the spread of this awful pandemic!! AWESOME idea! Also, go fuck yourself.
One of them is jacked up on a potent cocktail of experimental drugs and steroids that aren’t available to the public and, has a team of 12 physicians. One of them wears a mask. Learn the difference and delete your Tweet Tomi. #TrumpHasCovid#TrumpDrugs#WearAMask
From the activist filmmakers group The Meidas Touch:
Our video #ByeIvanka takes the commencement address given by Ivanka Trump today that no one asked her or invited her to give (which she gave in front of an empty room using White House resources after Wichita State canceled her speech because her and her family are hate mongers) and places her scripted, sterile, and disingenuous words against the backdrop of what is actually going on in the country.
Juxtaposed to the First Daughter’s speech are sound bites of reports that she and her husband Jared Kushner made $82 million last year and footage of her dining with China’s president at Mar-a-Lago.
“COVID explained in gay terms: You and 10 friends are in your apartment getting ready for the Pride Parade. One has glitter. How many end up with glitter on them?”
Rugby player and former Australian National Bobsleigh team member, Simon Dunn (above), recently offered a candid and personal message on Instagram where he basically broke down some of the myths of ‘Insta-life.’
“The online persona I show you is all photoshoots, parties and magazine covers,” began Dunn.
And in truth, scrolling through his Instagram feed, viewers are treated to a long list of outtakes from photoshoots and magazine covers like his recent DNA Magazine cover.
But the woofy Mr. Dunn felt he needed to make a confession, adding, “This hasn’t always been entirely the truth.”
“Earlier this year, I found myself back in Australia, living in a country town in my mother’s spare room and financially broke,” shared the 32-year-old athlete. “Having to rebuild my life at the time felt like a monumental task. I honestly didn’t think I could do it.”
In the face of his financial and emotional adversity, Dunn admits he stopped taking care of himself, “drinking most weekends away,” and felt he’d hit a low point in his life.
“Only weeks earlier I was living in London with my partner, running my own business, attending every party I was invited to, appearing in countless photoshoots and magazines,” he wrote. “Before this I was in North America representing Australia in bobsleigh, training and competing, whilst getting flown to media gigs and appearances all around the world.”
After publicly living his passion for showing the world that out and proud athletes exist, Dunn says he felt he’d failed and “let so many people down.”
The adventures of the past few years, says Dunn, “felt all but a distant memory.”
So he decided to post a photo that represents “the real me – someone who, like everyone else, has obstacles they need to overcome.”
Dunn says being able to post the photo now represents his own “little victory,” and that he’s found his passion for life again as he looks to the next adventure.”
“The Simon you see online is the Simon I want you to see, may it be my pride or the influence of social media, but it’s not always as it seems,” he wrote in closing. “Life is a series of ups and downs, just remember – there’s always light at the end of the tunnel no matter how dark it may seem!”
On Twitter, Dunn followed up tweeting, “My online persona is the image I want the world to see. Abs, photoshoots, parties, success, etc. I questioned posting this picture as it didn’t fit within my ‘story.’ Remember we all go through our own battles in life outside of what we show the world online. Myself included!”
My online persona is the image I want the world to see. Abs, photoshoots, parties, success etc. I questioned posting this picture as it didn’t fit within my “story”. Remember we all go through our own battles in life outside of what we show the world online. Myself included! pic.twitter.com/3R9utJsTxk
As a fan of social media myself, I know I follow certain accounts for the eye-candy factor, or the imagery coupled with inspirational quotes.
But it is refreshing, every now and then, for these folks– who sometimes seem straight out of TheLives of the Rich and Famous– to let down their guard and relate to their hundreds of thousands of followers as regular human beings.
And by the way, while Dunn may have felt ‘less than’ his curated Instagram image in the photo he chose to share – sans razor-sharp abs and photoshoot lighting – I think he looks pretty hot.
Which just goes to show how living for that ‘Insta-image’ might skew exactly how we see that ‘man in the mirror.’
