The IT Guy Reveals All In Bed with Dillon Buck NYE Celebrations in London
MIRRORBALLS January 2009 Publisher: Nhamo Editor: TheCygnet South African Correspondent: Exit Newspaper Cover Photo & Design: JamTrash Contributors: Richard, Philip, Colin Swan, Philip Tsaras
Index
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MIRRORBALLS - PEOPLE
The IT Guy Reveals All In today’s celebrity culture it is to often the Oscar winning stars, whose names appear ’above the title’ who recieve most press and public attention.
although my French mother, being a bit of a snob would have loved to have sent me to Truro Cathedral school as a chorister. But I went to Falmouth Grammar
However, the performances of these show-ponies require a supporting cast of excellent actors to make the scene and provide context. From the smllest
School which became Falmouth Comprehensive half way through. I had a group of friends there , two of which I am still very close to, especially as a result of
theatre production to the grandest mega-bucks budget movies, they are there - behind every Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) stands an army of wizards and Death Eaters whose face you may recognize, but
playing music together - by then I was playing the piano and cello as well as singing in my father’s church choir.
whose name you probably don’t know. It is one of this noble band of unsung heroes who we celebrate this month .
I left Cornwall, with its dramatic and mysterious landscape and its mesmerising seas and creeks but nonetheless very isolated, culturally and
UK character actor Philip Rham recently completed an award nominated run as Dr Korczak on
geographically. I went to study Modern Languages (French and German) at Magdalene College Cambridge. Everyone said it was gong to be the best
the Manchester stage. He joined us for coffee at the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Cafe of the Year’, Cafe CoCo in Oxford, and chatted about his life, acting career, and voluntary work for those less fortunate.
years of my life but I was suffering from an inferiority complex and lacked any self-confidence. I never had a girlfriend, never kissed anyone - I just studied like fury and was the archetypal good boy. However it was at
I had the privilege of an idyllic childhood in grand Cornish rectories with acres of grounds up until the
Cambridge I came across guys in my all-male college who were not effeminate, yet openly talked of their affairs with other boys or masters in their private
age of 18. My father, a priest in the Church of England swore he’d never send me to a private school,
schools. My eyes were opened to the possibility of being a man who happened to like and be turned on by other men. Still I toiled away at my course work, remaining very serious, not indulging in many activities - I finally joined the University choir which was marvellous but I didn’t do any theatre at Cambridge even though there were loads of opportunities. I came away with a degree, but with no idea what I wanted to do in life - I only knew I didn’t want to go into business nor become a career teacher. I was still young and fancied a year off to clear my head. And as luck would have it, I was offered a post, teaching English in Florence at The British Institute, no less! I had been there to learn Italian and loved Florence and now to be given the opportunity to live there and get paid money to do so was heaven-sent. And then really began the best three years of my life - I finally had my first sexual experience, to the strains of Elgar’s cello concerto in the background. At the same time a colleague of mine at the Institute started a theatre workshop there. I joined, being a good friend of his. Reader, I got the bug! We became
"Florence Rep", an English language theatre. We put on shows every two months, going round schools and having summer festivals in our little theatre in the centre of Florence. It was a blissful time for me, subletting a flat in a Palladian villa in beautiful grounds and living in that awe-inspiring city and country. AND really relishing my new found sexual liberation and voyage of emotional discovery. As a result I definitely found a new self-confidence in my life. At the end of three years I knew I wanted to train as an actor. I returned to London but found drama courses expensive so I plumped for a one year post graduate course at The Drama Studio and that is how my professional life as an actor began. I can tell you, it has been very hard, moments of high excitement and periods of low despondency without work. But my singing voice, my cello and piano playing have helped me enormously to get work plus my ability for accents has meant I’ve done a lot of character work, namely Germans, Nazis, etc!!!. The high points have definitely been going on for Rupert Everett in "The Vortex" in the West End, a world tour of "Jane Eyre" with Shared Experience, playing the lead in "Lend me a Tenor", "DDay" for BBC1, Johann the cannibal in the "IT Crowd" series 2 on Channel 4, and latterly playing Dr. Korczak
Orchestra for 2 years now and have thoroughly enjoyed playing better and better, not perfect by any means but playing great music together with people
from worlds other than the theatre has been brilliant. In addition through my membership of the Labour Party in "Dr Korczak's Example" for which I was nominated for (now lapsed), I became a governor of a special needs a Best Actor award - I didn't win but the production won school for primary school children in my local area Best Show, so hopefully it will transfer to London soon. Hammersmith and Fulham, London. My involvement Watch this space! I was also a Death Eater in Harry has grown over the ten years I have been on the Potter and the Goblet of Fire, for which I was hidden behind layers of make-up, but its still me.
governing body. It does mean a lot of meetings and administrative paperwork but I really believe in the work that these amazing teachers do to get these young kids back into mainstream education. If we can give love and support to these complicated young children and show them ways of dealing with their anger and frustration at their more often than not dysfunctional home lives, then there is hope for our society. I am now chair of the management committee that decides on places in the borough for these kids with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
I lead a rich emotional, sexual and cultural life, I have a great circle of friends; I am still single (these relishing the opportunities that London offers; despite things never worked out for me); I really enjoy cooking the expense there is always a way. I laugh a lot- I find for myself and my dear friends; I love words and that helps immensely, as well as crying at the beauty languages and crosswords; I love different cultures and and frustrations of life and sharing ecstatic moments travelling when my meagre funds allow me to do so!!. of intimacy with my partners as well as my dear friends, I’ve been a member of The Kensington Symphony
who I could not live without.
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MIRRORBALLS - ARTS
Edward Scissorhands
Sadlers Wells Theatre, London By Philip Tsaras
Tim Burton’s magical Edward Scissorhands has always been one of my favourite movies, and, having loved both Matthew Bourne’s all male Swan Lake and The Carman, I was greatly looking forward to his ballet version of the movie. Maybe expectations were running too high, (and maybe I should have remembered that I found his Nutcracker terribly disappointing), but, in the event, they were left somewhat unfulfilled.
remote mansion that he lived in with his broken hearted guardian, who then makes a replacement for Edward, with scissors for hands. The guardian, or father or grandfather (we are never sure which) dies of a heart attack when the local gang of youths break into the house. The grief stricken Edward chases them back into the town where they live and is there taken in by a kindly housewife.
Photo: Joe Holst (cc) www.jyoseph.com
In the original, you may remember, he is For starters, I couldn’t quite understand found alone in the house by a visiting Bourne’s tinkerings with the original Avon lady, his creator having died when plot. In this version Edward is a young just on the point of giving him hands. She boy who, while playing with a large pair takes pity on him and takes him back to of scissors, is struck by lightning and town, where it takes a long time before dies. He is buried in the garden of the old,
MIRRORBALLS - ARTS
the neighbours will accept this strange being into their milieu. The slight shift is important here, because, in Tim Burton’s original, we are immediately introduced to a timid and gentle being, without an ounce of aggression in him. Here we see Edward driven to an act of aggression early in the evening, and it severely blunts the impact of the character, marvellously well played though he is by Dominic North. Other successes of the evening were the sets of Lez Brotherston, atmospherically lit by Howard Harrison; wonderfully gothic for the mansion and picture perfect for suburbia, which didn’t look a million miles away from the Wisteria Lane of Desperate Housewives, albeit set in the 1960s. All the residents were marvellously depicted, but somehow two dimensional. Terry Davies’ music, though cleverly crafted, was all rather bland and anonymous, apart, of course, from Danny Elfman’s soaringly lyrical theme tune from the original movie, which Davies had masterfully woven into his score.
for his Swan Prince and his Carman, Edward and his Scissorhands seemed to elude him. Nowhere were we treated to the subversive sexuality of Swan Lake or the homoerotic machismo of The Carman. This may have had more to do with an attempt at providing a piece of family entertainment, and on that level, it did succeed, but the darker elements of Burton’s film were either glossed over or ignored. The central tragedy of the piece is that Edward is a misfit, who, regardless of his sweet nature, will never be able to fit in anywhere. What’s more, no matter how much Kim might return his love, it is a love that will remain unconsummated, because the closer he gets to her, the more likely he is to harm her. The final pas de deux for the two And what of the dancing? characters did not sufficiently underline this To my mind, Bourne and left me feeling let down. spent too much time creating amusing set On a superficial level, Edward Scissorhands is pieces, with an entertaining evening in the theatre, but choreography that was please don’t expect the emotional depth and entertaining and complexity woven into the original movie by amusing, but lacked any the ever masterful Tim Burton. real depth. Where Bourne Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands is at the had created a real Sadler’s Wells Theatre unitl 18th January 2009. choreographic language
MIRRORBALLS - ARTS
Joyce DiDonato was performing with Les Talens Lyriques conducted by Christophe Rousset at the Barbican, London on the 13th December 2008.
Joyce DiDonato Diva in the House! By Philip Tsaras
My first encounter with Kansas born American diva,
brought to mind visions of a young Bette Midler. Thoughts of
Joyce DiDonato was in Luc Bondy’s wonderful Aix-en-
Bette Midler were however immediately dispelled the
Provence staging of Handel’s Hercules, at the Barbican
moment she started to sing. Subtitled Furore: Handel’s
Theatre in March 2006. In an evening of so many delights,
Scenes of Madness, this concert was an evening of
DiDonato stood out with a portrayal of the complex Dejanira
emotional extremes in which DiDonato unerringly went to
that was absolutely riveting. Her singing was pretty
the heart of each aria she sang. She did this with a range of
phenomenal too, not only in its breathtaking virtuosity, but
colour that was as daring as it was effective, bringing each
also in the range of colour she employed, the
scene to vivid life. Not only that, her coloratura technique in
unconventional Mad Scene (Where shall I fly?) being the
Handel’s often fiendishly difficult florid music was
fitting high spot of her performance.
breathtakingly fluent, while always at the service of the music. Wonderfully supported by Les Talens Lyriques,
Needless to say, when Virgin Classics announced the
conducted by the superb Christophe Rousset, this was
release of a Handel Arias disc earlier this year, I bought it the
music making of the highest calibre, soloist, conductor and
moment it was released. Unfortunately, it did not impress
orchestra clearly working together as a team. There were
me as much as I expected. The singing, though technically
vocal fireworks aplenty, to be sure, but for me the high spot
accomplished, seemed a little uninvolved and uninvolving.
of the evening was Ariodante’s heartbreaking aria, Scherza
Could this really be the same singer who had so excited me
infida, sung with a bitterness, hopelessness and resignation
on stage only a couple of years ago? I was nonplussed. I
that brought tears to the eyes.
already had tickets to the concert of the CD, one in a series of concerts DiDonato and Rousset are performing on a world
By the end of the evening DiDonato had the audience
tour. Though I had originally been looking forward to the
hanging on her every breath. Clearly overwhelmed by the
concert, now that I had heard the CD, I was beginning to
warmth of her reception, she treated us to two encores;
wonder if it would be something of a let down.
Serse’s sublime Largo: Ombra mai fu and the joyful Dopo notte, a reminder that all ends happily for Ariodante after all.
I needn’t have worried. Wearing a tight fitting red
It certainly ended happily for me. My earlier impressions
brocade shoulderless bodice with a black satin skirt, her
were confirmed and I will now be looking forward to Joyce
mane of honey blonde hair worn loose about her shoulders,
DiDonato’s next visit to these shores with eager
the diminutive figure of Joyce DiDonato momentarily
anticipation.
MIRRORBALLS - ARTS
Thaïs The radiant Renée Fleming plays the Egyptian courtesan in search of spiritual sustenance. Massenet’s sensual score is presented in a production by John Cox that originated at Lyric Opera of Chicago. By Philip Rham
Oh if only I could say I was there but alas, my friends, our editor did not send me to New York for some Christmas shopping!! No, I was attending one of the Met’s live transmissions, broadcast in participating cinemas, namely Kinepolis in NIMES SW France where I was staying for Xmas with my parents. There is definitely a sense of occasion but I have to say my experience of this production was necessarily through the eyes of the TV producer, who liked his close-ups which were even more magnified on the enormous screen at Kinepolis. This was not ideal as the sound levels were very high and we were treated to Placido Domingo burbling on and interviewing the stars as they came off stage as well as seeing myriad stage hands lackadaisically change the cumbersome sets between scenes (no technical wizardry at the MET it seems). All of which was a shame as it broke the spell of the piece the singers and orchestra, well drilled by Jesus Lopez-Cobos, had created.
arrives to express his love and lust so there is no communication between the two at the end. However, despite this clunkiness and frustrating lack of dramatic depth, the opera deserves to be heard. When Massenet stops trying to ape Wagner, he actually gives his singers some very touching and affecting music. As you would expect, Thais gets the lion`s share in her hymn to Venus, mocking Athaniel ("Homme fait pour aimer" - man is made to love), her magnificent mirror aria when Thais reflects (boom,boom!) on her ephemeral beauty - "Dis-moi que je suis belle". - Tell me I am beautiful. Then she and Athaniel sing "Baigne d,eau mes mains" (Bathe my hands with water)in the desert and finally the recurrent Thais violin theme returning to inject real feeling into the last act culminating in the rousing ecstacy for Thais at her death. It is for these impressive moments that THAIS deserves to be remembered and heard.
This production is saved by the presence of RENEE FLEMING as Thais - she is quite simply SUPERB!!. The role is ideal for Right to the opera itself! THAIS`s claim to fame- indeed it`s her voice, voluptuous, teasing, ecstatic soaring up to only claim to fame it seems - is the admittedly highly exquisite high pianissimo notes. And to crown it all she effective violin solo "La Meditation" which actually turns positively inhabits the amazing costumes that Christian out to be just that, a violin solo to cover yet another scene Lacroix has individually designed for this stunning lady. change! By the way it is beautifully played by the orchestra Fleming is in full control of her voice, her body and her leader, David Chan. Massenet wrote the piece at the end of character - it was a privilege to hear and see this the 19th century and took the story from a novel by Anatole consummate singer at the height of her powers. MICHAEL France. SCHADE as Nicias is equally at ease in his part, his bright clear focussed tenor ringing out effortlessly. THOMAS We are in Alexandria, Egypt in Roman times. ATHANIEL a HAMPSON admittedly gets the short straw as Athaniel but member of a desert monastic community (they look like a for me, he is too self-aware, his acting bovine at best (was white Rasta rugby fifteen in this production!) declares he`s he too aware of the TV director and his close-ups, I returning to sin city to try and convert his former best wonder?). He sings his part competently and well but not friend`s (NICIAS) bit of stuff for the week, the glamorous brilliantly. I was not generally impressed wih the direction sexy courtesan THAIS who has devoted her life to Venus, (JOHN COX) and the set design (uncredited) - VERY clunky goddess of love. Mission impossible? Well no , as Athaniel sets laboriously changed after every scene, guests at a ball succeeds in converting the sex goddess over night - yes arriving and leaving via a trap-door in Nicias`s palace!, nuns folks just one violin solo meditation seems to do the trick not batting an eyelid when Nathaniel bursts into their and that during a scene change!. To the consternation of convent; Thais for her death scene is sitting on a chair on an Nicias and the rest of the revellers, Thais ups sticks and joins altar like affair (!!) and just as the image of an icon is created a desert convent. Athaniel returns to his community but with her standing up, Athaniel clambers up and physically yes, you guessed it, he spends sleepless nights tossing (and mauls her, completely ruining the final picture. turning), obsessing about the now cloistered Thais - oh timing Athaniel, timing Athaniel!! In a dream he sees Saint BUT BUT BUT Renee Fleming shines like a beacon and rises Thais dying; he disowns his vows and rushes off to be with above it all. She is wonderfully supported by Michael Schade her but she is half way to heaven when he bursts into the and the smaller parts sell what they have to do very convent and Thais is finally wafted up to eternal peace and impressively. I would love to see an imaginative director like ecstacy. Richard Jones or Nick Hytner take on this opera with La Yes the plot stinks, principally because the potential moments for dramatic tension the story offers are skipped over and wasted - namely, how is Thais really persuaded to renounce her past life; Athaniel`s temptation and ambiguous feelings and his final torment (the head priest just says "I told you not to go to sin city, may God help you, bye!) and Thais is well on her way to heaven when Athniel
Fleming reprising her role. THAIS, especially as far as the music is concerned, deserves a much better treatment than the MET gives it here!
MIRRORBALLS - SHOPPING
DV8 Opening Party
A new shopping experience in Soho Words: Colin Swan Photos: Alexander Corrie
On their opening night Tony and Jason provided a warm and friendly welcome in from the chilly December evening. The pre-Christmas atmosphere was helped along with champagne cocktails and discounted shopping for those fortunate enough to be included on the VIP guest list. Located at the heart of London’s Soho, DV8 offers a refreshingly different shopping experience. The most obvious difference between this and other shops in the area is the large windows which provide a clear view of everything inside the shop from the street outside. In the window are large flat-screen displays showing video adverts. Inside the store is on two levels; upstairs are clothes, books, cards, accessories and other quality nik-naks.
The layout is spacious and so you don't keep having to squeeze past other shoppers to get to the trinkets that catch your eye. DV8 is also an outlet for event tickets and while we were there they were doing a brisk trade for Matinee. Downstairs the selection is of a more adult and specialist nature but this is sexy, not sleazy, and the goods are beautifully displayed. There are spacious changing rooms for you to try on your leathers before you buy and the staff are attentive while also maintaining the decorum found in a Saville Row tailors. Next time you are in Soho, drop into DV8 for a browse.
MIRRORBALLS - DISCUSSION
Do you have a Prince Albert?
It just doesn't seem to be Christmas without a Christmas tree. By Richard
For centuries people have used evergreens to
Fake frees have the advantage that they can be used
celebrate the winter and the birth of a certain child. The real
over and over again – typically for between 5 – 10 years. The
home of Christmas trees is most definitely Germany where
manufacturing process for artificial trees is pretty
they have been associated with the festive season for over
intensive, using metals and plastics, plastics usually being
a thousand years. They were introduced to Great Britain in
PVC. If you Google “PVC Manufacture” you’ll get in the
the middle ages by Boniface, an English missionary that
region of 3.9million hits so you can guess that this is a
spent many years in Germany; however this was still a pretty subject area that creates some debate. However, bottom low key affair compared to today.
line is that they take a lot of energy to create, are manufactured generally in countries where pay is low and
In the intervening period Christmas trees were not
working conditions poor. By the time they reach your home
uncommon, but certainly an unusual feature of the festive
they have created a huge carbon foot print for their
season, but history shows that it was through the
perfectly recreated plastic boughs.
patronage of Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert that the Christmas tree became a popular addition to the seasonal festivities.
You might think that a real Christmas tree would be a much safer bet, environmentally speaking. Whilst it is growing your Christmas tree will be absorbing Carbon
According to the British Christmas tree Growers
Dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, helping reduce the
Association, this year some 8 million trees will be grown and
amount of that oh so naughty green house gas, and of
sold in the UK. I don’t know about you, but I love the whole
course they are fully bio-degradable too. If you don’t
process of picking a tree, the search for the perfect one
recycle your tree – shame on you. Practically every local
from the hundreds on offer. For me this is probably because
authority has arrangements in place so that you can easily
the smell of the massed trees takes me back to when I was
dispose of your tree. Contact your local council to find out
younger and when I sold trees by the thousand as a garden
what the arrangements are in your area. Not sure who to call
centre manager in London.
– start at www.direct.gov.uk. Your tree might be composted and used as mulch in a local park or chipped and
In recent years there has been some discussion over the used as a soft surface in a play area – which all helps save environmental merits of whether it is better to have a real
your council money! However, its not all good news. Real
tree (such as the traditional Norway - Picea abies) or to have
trees have to be transported from the grower to the point of
a reusable fake tree (such as the traditional shop bought
purchase, so a little bit of a carbon footprint there. Perhaps
variety Plasticus tackey-us) so I felt that I should delve into
more of a concern is the use of pesticides and some of the
the debate and see if my own pre-conceptions needed an
trimming regimes, which can affect local animal and plant
adjustment.
communities. If you wanted to be really green though it is possible to grow your own tree from a cutting or even seed. I
I think we need to start with the assumption that at
have even seen the kits available on the web!. If you don’t
least for the foreseeable future, Christmas trees in what
have the time (or green fingers) to grow your own and you
ever form will be part of the festive trimmings for the vast
can afford it, the best real tree is one that is pot grown and
majority of us. Yes you could have a poster or collect some
can be brought in year after year and perhaps this gives the
architectural stems from the garden (or if you are lucky
best of all worlds.
enough, your local wood) but for now at least you guys will be valiant trendsetters, but not part of the main pack.
As for the future of Christmas trees, well I can’t
So, real or fake?
imagine a Christmas without
It seems to make a lot of sense to me that if you suffer
them, so despite their
from allergies, have a pathological hatred of finding pine
somewhat disposable nature,
needles in your carpet in June or are on a really tight budget,
I’d like to raise a seasonal toast
there is no choice but to go down the artificial route.
to old Boniface and Prince Albert – Cheers guys!
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MIKESBLISS @ ADONIS ART 3rd February 2009- 27th February 2009. Mikesbliss will be exhibiting all new work in a one man show at Adonis Art 1b Coleherne Road, Earls Court, London, SW10 9BS. All work will be exclusively for sale through the gallery http://www.mikesbliss.com/adonis_art.html
MIRRORBALLS - SHOPPING
South African Fetish Clothing Goes Global By Gavin Heyward
Five months ago, the last thing Cape Townbased entrepreneur Deon Behrens would have believed is that his newly formed company, Bondage Warehouse, would become one of the leading gay fetish clothing manufacturers in the world. But that’s exactly what happened in August when two international gay retail giants, RoB of Amsterdam and Canada’s Priape, snapped up the company’s trademark Neoprene Line™ for both online their catalogues and retail outlets. Today, Bondage Warehouse designs can be found in stores from as far as Vancouver to London, Toronto to Amsterdam. And their popularity only continues to grow with such icons as gay porn star Alex Baresi both endorsing and distributing the line through his Berlin-based www.alexbaresi-shop.eu. Producing some of the world’s finest leather and neoprene fetish wear was not something Behrens or his partner, Jacques Rautenbach, ever imagined doing. “We initially had in mind starting an online store selling toys and accessories,” admits Behrens, “but then decided to move into the bondage scene and to import gear from various suppliers. But after receiving a few leather samples, we realised the quality was of such a low standard that we’d be closing our doors before we opened.”
“Lighter ‘n thinner than most of the fetish neoprene gear we’ve cum across (or in), so overheating isn’t a problem. More durable than latex and it feels AWESOME on!” The review continues: “When was the last time someone asked you, ‘Dude, where did you get that?!’ And you said, “Um… South Africa.”
In the course of a few months, these South African mavericks have definitely staked their claim on an Within weeks of founding the company in April 2008, international scale, with plans to expand further into the partners began manufacturing leather wear to the Europe and North America, as well as extending their highest international standards, outsourcing to local presence locally with a proposed retail outlet in Cape suppliers while importing top-quality, full-grain hides Town. and custom-plated hardware from overseas. After the company’s official launch at the It was shortly thereafter that Rautenbach mentioned Johannesburg Pride Festival this October , Bondage Warehouse is making plans to open its first retail that a lesser-known material, neoprene, was gaining outlet in Cape Town, as well as being a major sponsor popularity amongst fetish/BDSM aficionados. This of the SAleathermen HARD ANGEL Party at CCHQ on new material – a synthetic rubber used commonly for wetsuits – was not only easy to source, but incredibly Friday, 12 December. durable, form-fitting, and relatively easy to use. In short, the perfect material for the rigors of its audience. Within weeks, the partners presented their designs to a wetsuit manufacturer and an industry was born. In a review of Bondage Warehouse’s Neoprene Line™, the Los Angeles-based Instigator Magazine declared:
For more information, contact info@bondagewarehouse.co.za. Bondage Warehouse products can now be purchased online at www.bondagewarehouse.co.za. For information about the SAleathermen HARD ANGEL Party, visit www.saleathermen.org.za.
MIRRORBALLS - PEOPLE
IN BED WITH BUCK
By Nhamo
British based Dillon Buck has rapidly become a star of the adult film industry and has gained fame an fans around the world. MIRRORBALLS bumped into him briefly at Folsom Street Fair in September. There we completed a naughty photo-shoot and were lucky enough to secure a meeting during his pre-Christmas stop in the UK during which time we conducted this breakfast interview. Nhamo: Last time we met was at Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. A 6ft, muscled Anglo-African hunk of burning love let loose in California “out on vacation”– how did you fill the days? Dillon Buck: Folsom was a very busy time for me as I was scheduled to make appearances at the Mustang booth having just filmed 'Blue Movie' as well as time at the Titanmen booth. I also had the parties to attend and due to the hold up we had while filming 'Blue Movie' in LA we re-shot the scene back in San Francisco the day before Folsom, so time off was in short supply. N: Its rumoured that while you were there you were widening the circle of your friends. DB: Unlike last years Folsom appearance where I was still the new boy and Titanmen this time I had a few more movies under my belt and was better known so meeting new people was easier. A new
experience having just filmed for Mustang so yes definitely widened my network of friends. N: And is it true that while you were filming Blue Movie you were felt by the long arm of the LAPD? DB: Yes that was quiet scary. We were just taking a break from filming my scene with Colton Steele, and I was still standing around naked when the LAPD bust in, so you can imagine it was very embarrassing, but hey I had nothing to hide. N:....and nowhere to hide it. How did that differ from dishing out the justice as D.I. Sweeney? DB: Very different - movies are fantasy. More shocking when the real thing bursts through the door - you cannot turn around and have your way with them, they command respect! N: Who is Dillon Buck? DB: He is a down to earth guy, approachable, who loves his life, what he does and is forever the professional in front of the camera as well as out and about. N: How did you become a Titan Man?
DB: I was cast by Titanmen in Ozark Mountain, Men's Room 3, as one of the main leads. They were impressed with my performance and immediately afterward I was asked to stay on and be a Titanmen Exclusive. This is rare for a British model so I was extremely honoured and accepted. N: Who else do you admire in the Titan roster of stars? DB: I have worked with many of them and they are a great bunch of guys. I was also very fortunate to have been in the last Titanmen movie directed by legendary Bruce Cam - I fulfilled a life long dream of his, seeing a man get naked alongside the highway in California. N: Mr Buck, might it be true that you have an alter ego called Dr Richard who enjoys examining the prostate of willing patients? DB: Yes that is true. When Men at Play first cast me they wanted to do a series of medically themed movies with me. To date there have been 6 movies in the series so I am a bit typecast now. N: I am actually here on behalf the General Medical Council to inspect you credentials. Is there anything you want to tell me before I begin taking my own measurements? DB: Check any of my movies my credentials are on full display. N: We have all just survived the season of goodwill –
do you prefer to give or to receive at this time of year? DB: Definitely a giver at any time of year and in every sense of the word. The joy of seeing the face of the receiver is far more exhilarating. N: What attracted you to this career choice? DB: Porn happened purely by chance, I was approached by Men at Play. I so thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have been so fortunate to have been noticed abroad and gained a reputation of being level headed and professional at all times while loving what I do. N: Outside the acting profession, what else does Dillon Buck have to offer? DB: The acting is only a small part of what I do. I am a full time escort which keeps me very busy. I do a lot of photography which is becoming more than a hobby and being a keen Blogger I display a lot of the photo's there. Having done more than 2 dozen movies now, I have decided to be a lot more selective in what projects I want to take on. N: You display an admirable degree of discretion – how important is that? DB: Vital! It is apart of my character and who I am, maintaining a life in the real world. But also an extremely important element to part of my work - clients need to know they have that trust.
Š MikesBliss
Bootylicious Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
CRASH Reunion Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
NYE @ RVT Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
Barcode Vauxhall, NYE Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
MegaWoof!, NYE Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
Love Festival, San Francisco Photos: TheCygnet & Nhamo
MIRRORBALLS
Competitions Grab some goodies! Last month we had two great gifts up for grabs in our competitions; a copy of Carlos Cogul’s wonderful CD, and the 2009 Bearhunter Calendar. The winner of the signed copy of Carlos Cogul’s CD was: J H McKormac
Feasting his eyes upon the Bears for the next 12 months will be: Mikael Michaelides
Congratulations to you both. We will contact you in the next couple of days to obtain your postal details and you prizes will be on their way to you by First Class mail.
This month we have a meal for two at Cafe CoCo in Oxford, UK. I could be yours if your name is drawn from those who can correctly answer the following simple question. What was the name of the character played by Philip Rham in Channel 4’s The IT Crowd? a) Dr Korczak b) Johann c) Harry Potter Send your answer by email before 23rd January with “CoCo” as the subject to info@mirrorballs.info . All correct answers will be placed in the draw which will take place at MirrorBalls offices on Monday 26th January.
Winners will be notified by email. Results will be published in the next editon of MIRRORBALLS
GAVIN MICHEALS personal trainer
+44 7775 730250
spirit energie conviction
www.verve-london.com