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HOT: Centerfold Ben Nelson Muscles Up with Pride for "Instinct"

The June 2011 issue of INSTINCT muscles up and celebrates Pride with cover model and centerfold hotness Ben Nelson. The 26-year-old management consultant talks about playing basketball in high school and college—as well as coming out and being active in LGBT causes—to Jeff Katz.

"After high school, I felt the need to wipe the slate clean and start off college on the right foot. So I told my family, my friends and everyone was great. I know it's not very exciting but people treated me no differently. If anything, it was just liberating to do it."

The Houston native is also featured in a ridiculously hot cover editorial by by New York City-based fashion and beefcake photographer Vincent Dilio. Instinct Fashion Director Sean Krebs styles Ben Nelson in this seson's required square cut Diesel swimwear hotness. Dilio recently lensed Marcus Hill's bulging muscles—and the Anthony Gallo, Bobby Roache and Shawn Sutton beefcake editorials—for the same magazine.

The flawless cover WHEN YOU JUMP ....

PHOTOS: Marcus Hill's Muscles Sweat and Bulge for "Instinct"

Major Model of the moment Marcus Hill is featured sweating, stretching, pumping iron and bulging in the "Sweat" editorial in the October 2010 issue of Instinct. The editorial is lensed by New York City-based fashion and beefcake photographer Vincent Dilio. Instinct Fashion Director Sean Krebs styles Marcus in the briefest oh-so-flattering briefs.

Marcus Hill's chiseled muscles were last seen in new digitals. Vincent Dilio recently lensed the Wendell Lissimore and Henry Watkins swimwear feature—and the Anthony Gallo, Bobby Roache and Shawn Sutton beefcake editorials—for the same magazine.

Instinct shares two more images of a very sweaty and very bulging Marcus Hill, not seen in the magazine, WHEN YOU JUMP ...

PHOTOS: Wendell Lissimore and Henry Watkins Show Some Skin

Model hotness Wendell Lissimore and Henry Watkins are featured in Instinct's swimwear editorial by fashion and beefcake photographer Vincent Dilio. The New York City-based photographer recently lensed the Anthony Gallo, Bobby Roache and Shawn Sutton beefcake editorials—and the Salieu Jalloh spring fashion insert—for the same magazine.

Lissimore was recently seen modeling abs with Jesus Luz and in Rat Pack swagger for Uptown. Henry Watkins was last seen also shirtless and in swimwear for Benetton and serving pecs, abs and the latest couture on the runway for Givenchy. Both are repped by RED Models. More hotness AFTER THE JUMP ...

 

PHOTOS: A Bulging Bobby Roache Models Gucci Swimwear

Here are a few scans of tall, dark and  oh-so-handsome model and "it boy" Bobby Roache, who is fiit in all the right places and featured in a swimwear editorial by beefcake photographer Vincent Dilio in the February Instinct. The music video model-actor who turned heads opposite Beyoncé in "Irreplaceable" and "Ring the Alarm" was last seen in the print campaign for South Pole. And in case you forgot, Bobby wears swimwear very well. 

Gucci's never looked this good. More AFTER THE JUMP ...

Andrew Ruffin Shows His "Baskit" on the Casting Couch

Yesterday it was Shawn Sutton's turn. Today it's new modeling hotness Andrew Ruffin modeling his Baskit tighty whiteys in the "Casting Couch" editorial photographed by Vincent Dilio in the October Instinct. Although with the cheesy 80s decor and student furniture we're wondering what type of movie was being cast ...

 

Andrew channels Grace Jones in the new Vogue Hommes Japan and was last seen modeling "skin" and Miguel Antoine during New York Fashion Week.

 

 

Shawn Sutton Models His Boxer Briefs on the Casting Couch

The Shawn Sutton hotness is one of the models featured in the "Casting Couch" editorial photographed by Vincent Dilio in the October Instinct. Mighty nice looking ... script ... he has there.

Dilio lensed the Anthony Gallo beefcake and Salieu Jalloh spring fashion editorials earlier this year for the magazine.

Salieu Jalloh for "Instinct"

Dark and lovely model of the moment Salieu Jalloh is the main attraction in the "Top 10 Fashion Tips for Spring" in next month's Instinct.  The editorial is photographed by Vincent Dilio. Salieu is tres handsome in some of the coolest pastels and hot new styles. He is also featured in the Contents in this brilliant ice blue/powder blue striped Dolce & Gabbana suit.

 

The grey and blue Zegna shirt is just sick. This is our favorite of the editoirial.

Salieu Jalloh was recently seen in Flaunt, Out and was the lead model in Paper's Barack Obama-inspired fashion editorial. It's all about change in more ways than one. It's great to see more black models getting work and recognition.

Salieu Jalloh is represented by Red Models.

You May Have Missed ...
Salieu Jalloh, Marcus Lloyd and Shawn Sutton "Flaunt" Prada [R20]
Irish Singer Roisin Murphy, Salieu Jalloh, Dominique Hollington and Courtney Taylor in "OUT" [R20]
Diddy Hires Only Black Models for Sean John [R20]
Sean John "Geared Towards Metrosexual Men"? [R20]
Paper's Barack Obama-Inspired Fashion Editorial [R20]

Darryl Stephens Talks "Noah's Arc" and Coming Out to "Instinct"

Actor Darryl Stephens is the cover feature of the October Instinct. At six pages, Jim ver Steeg's profile is probably one of the magazine's more in-depth recent cover features. There is also a smart fashion (and shirtless) editorial lensed by photographer Peter Brown. Kudos to Instinct for its third major cover feature in the past 18 months that featured black gay personalities.

In addition to promoting the limited theatrical release of Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom, for the first time Stephens responds to critics who questioned his reluctance to come out as openly gay gay during the broadcast run of Noah's Arc.

“We had seen other gay shows where the straight actors who were playing gay got a lot of the credit for doing all the work and for being braver actors. We were all just trying to avoid that,” Darryl says. But they were also trying to avoid adding to the challenges already felt by many in the industry. “I think as black actors we are all aware of the fact that the roles we are allowed to play are very limited. To step up and say “I’m gay” makes a lot of other doors close, too.”

It would be interesting to hear if publicly coming out has helped or harmed Stephens' career. Judging from the roles he has chosen—Noah's Arc, Boy Culture, Another Gay Movie, Ugly Betty etc—there doesn't seem like the potential for a career backlash. It may actually have helped. Stephens says his sexuality "has never been any big mystery or secret" and takes particular aim at "gay bloggers" who tried to make it an issue.

[C]ritics have wasted little time and a great deal of bandwidth to point out that Darryl has not shouted his sexuality from rooftops. “I’ve read a lot of very negative responses, not necessarily to my work, but to my choices, from gay bloggers,” he says. “There is a lot of hypocrisy in the criticism from the people who just don’t know what it’s like to put yourself out there. It’s fucking scary. It’s not like sitting at home on your computer.”

Darryl Stephens makes a valid point about privacy and self-identity, but, the larger point remains unanswered: Was it ironic that for a show that was considered "groundbreaking" for its portrayal of black gay characters and issues, with the exception of Doug Spearman, the black gay actors refused to come out? What message did that send to the "community? Perhaps we should pose these questions to actor Rodney Chester who "hosted" several black gay awards events and still denies he is gay.

Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom will be available in limited release on October 24. An excerpt of the interview with Darryl Stephens is availble at the Instinct website.

Darryl Stephens: Stepping Up, Standing Out [Instinct]

You May Have Missed ...
Behind the Scenes Video from Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom [R20]
Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]
Deal or No Deal? [R20]
Darryl Stephens on the "Out 100" [R20]
Jensen Atwood: The CLIK Interview [R20]
A Very Beautiful Darryl Stephens [R20]
Darryl Stephens in "Boy Culture" [R20]
Darryl's "Boy Culture" [R20]
A Conversation with Darryl Stephens [R20]
Rodney Chester: I'm STILL NOT Gay!" [R20]
Beyond the Sassy Sidekicks? [After Elton]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
TV's Most Influential Gay Sex Scenes [After Elton]
The Many Faces of Rodney Chester [Keith Boykin]
A Conversation with Keith Boykin [R20]
Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20]
Hamilton Cobb: Big Deal Playing Gay [R20]
Uno Dos TREY [R20]
"Honey, I'm Home!" [R20]
DVD Review: "Noah's Arc" [R20]
Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20]

Instinct Gets "Rough & Ready"

Instinct magazine continues to impress. In the May issue, in addition to a short feature on filmmakers Deondray Gossett and Quincy LaNear—more on that later this afternoon—there is also a stunning fashion editorial lensed by ace beefcake photographer Troy Phillips.

The nine page editorial is entitled "Rough & Ready" and employs only one model—New York-based Ainslee, not so "rough", more on the pretty boyish side, but definitely looks "ready." Striking fashions by our usual favorites, Roberto Cavalli, J. Lindberg and Dolce & Gabbana.

More hotness and fashions after the jump, plus some background on the photographer and model.

Carey Sherrell in "Instinct"

Carey Sherrell graces the cover of the April issue of Instinct.

You'll recall that Carey made reality show history as the first openly black gay contestant on The Apprentice, Donald Trump's corporate-themed reality show. He also made history last season, according to After Elton, because his dismissal happened "under what some have felt were slightly homophobic circumstances." To add insult to injury, in the first two episodes of Season 6, Trump fired two black candidates back-to-back, Carey being the second.

Refreshingly, the Instinct cover feature does not rehash that already-too-familiar story or the interesting sidebar on the pink square cut swimsuit. (Background HERE.) Instead, the article is more focused on Sherrell's marketing background and entrepreneurship, and, how he segued his dismissal into a swimwear line, Blue Motion Squared (BM²), which is exclusively marketed to the gay community.

On growing up:

"I grew up in the ghetto, in the projects, on welfare. I saw the food stamps, I saw the government boxed cheese. It's not the fire that reminds me, but it is a distinct reminder."

On being out in the workplace:

"I want people to know they can be gay, they can be out, and they can be a businessperson. They can work on Rodeo Drive, on Wall Street or anywhere and still be who they are."

On perceptions of the gay community:

"It's not all about a parade. We have the same issues that straight couples face. Who does the dishes? What are we going to eat tonight? How are we going to balance the budget? If people could realize that were all the same, that we face the same issues and the same problems, they'd realized that there's no difference."

Just as an FYI, the big three gay lifestyle magazines (Genre, Instinct, Out) have been roundly criticized for not reaching out and diversifying their content and cover features. It's only fair to give credit where credit is due and is Instinct is doing a great job—besides the Carey Sherrell cover feature, remember, just a month or two ago, they ran this scorching swimwear editorial.

More in this month's Instinct.

Some Background ...

Fired Gay "Apprentice" Fires Back [R20] Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20] Isa in Genre [R20] Sweat or Swim [R20]
Darryl's "Boy Culture" [R20] Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]