Shirtless Pride

In honor of Gay Pride this weekend, I had to upload a shirtless picture of an out celebrity. I admire that Rupert Everett has been out forever and continues to do his thing, playing both gay and straight roles all the while demonstrating good male shirtlessness. It was hard to find a good picture of his shirtlessness, this being the best I could do after scanning 40 pages of a Google image search. But I like the confidence he exudes, knowing that his shirtlessness is good even if we can't see it.

Pride weekend usually coincides with my birthday which was last Tuesday, but something happened this year to make it a week late. Between the week shift and my hellish tech week, all the pride that this Gay Icon could muster was to lay on the couch and hope some shirtlessness would occur on "Law & Order" re-runs (which it did not.) But I am happy to report that some of the male members of my cast were able to make it to the parade after our matinee. One in particular demonstrated good shirtlessness in the van on the way to the theater because he didn't want to sweat in the shirt he was going to wear to the parade. So kudos for him for demonstrating not only gay pride but shirtless pride as well! These two things often go hand in hand, and honestly I can't complain. I do not discriminate based on sexual orientation.

Anyway, I'm still roving the internet for Rock Hudson and Gary Cooper. Any other suggestions are welcome. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Aaaa!!!! Late Posting!

Many apologies for completely forgetting to post at all yesterday. My show opened on Thursday night, and after the wild van ride home, I must say that I was completely discombobulated and didn't even realize that it was Friday until I was coming home from the theater last night. Sorry all!

So in response to Jonathan's comment (thank you for the comment!), I was looking for some Rock Hudson photos and actually stumbled across a documentary that sounded very interesting for IMS members. It's called "Shirtless: Hollywood's Sexiest Men." I can't seem to find it on Netflix, but I will keep you posted on other ways of catching it.

In the meantime, if you haven't already, check out this week's People magazine for very hot shirtless pictures of Mario Lopez. He recreates classic shirtless pictures of the past which makes me wonder if someone from People isn't reading my blog! People.com also has some cute video clips of Mario getting ready for his close-up as well. I can't help how cute I think he is - those abs with those dimples are really too much!

Monday is my real day off, and so I will return to my normal posting schedule with hopefully some new pictures. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

No New Pictures

Sorry folks, but as I am in technical rehearsals for the show that I am doing at the John W. Engeman Theater, I haven't had the time to dig up new photos for your enjoyment. Thank you to Tom, though, for the suggestion of Gary Cooper. It is intriguing, and I shall investigate. Thanks also for responding to my request. Your comments warm the heart of this blogger and make her feel a little less lonely in the ether!

When discussing the blog with some fellow actors this week, I have found some who want to start a counter movement called "White Males for Female Toplessness." My response is that said group already exists - it's called the Mainstream. I will stick to my guns on the activist component of IMS and say that while we primarily promote good male shirtlessness, we also encourage witty banter, the ability to make conversation, and active participation in household chores. I liked the "Sex and the City" guy much more after I heard him speak on the Today show. Members of IMS are about more than just a pretty torso, although a pretty torso is a good place to start.

With that I shall retire to get some sleep before I tech my "Moorish Dance" number tomorrow morning. Until then, I am ...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

From Here to Shirtlessness

Since no one has offered any opinions on Classic Male Shirtlessness, I thought I would start things with this classic image from a movie that I have never seen but a scene I have witnessed a thousand times. I don't know when I first saw it, but I know it was used to represent sexiness sometime in my childhood. Notice how Burt Lancaster is shirtless, even in 1953. This image is probably where it all started for me.

Other topics from past posts, I must print a correction about the red card rule in soccer. I misunderstood the IMS VP when he described this rule to me in my excitement over a sporting rule that demanded shirtlessness. I now understand that red cards simply eject the player it is given to from the field. If said player is a goalie, he has to give his jersey to another player so that that player can take over his goalkeeping duties. Why the number of the goalie is so important is beyond me, but I'm happy that it keeps a possibility of good shirtlessness out there, although I am also told that soccer players have lately taken to wearing tight t-shirts under their jerseys. I'm sure this is very nice on its own, but we all know that if I were in the stadium when a goalie took off his jersey to reveal another shirt, I would be screaming "Take your shirt off." I don't care how tight it is.

Also, I saw a beautiful play last night at the New Group called "Rafta Rafta." In addition to be well-written, warm, funny, and well-acted, this play featured some good male shirtlessness of an Indian nature. So an IMS shout out goes to the cast of this lovely production that will be running one more week at Theater Row.

Off to bed so that I can find some goalies to give red cards to tomorrow. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Soccer Shirtlessness

In honor of soccer season, I give you the eternally shirtless David Beckham. He's not my favorite, but lots of people seem to enjoy him. He also seems to very much enjoy being shirtless. I worry that he may end up like Matthew McConnaughey, banned from this blog, but for now, I am going to allow him. Here's the thing - the VP of IMS told me last night that there is this thing in soccer called a "red card" that when you receive it, you have to leave the field but also take off your shirt. It's like a punishment for the player and a reward for the fans. I'm wondering if I can get this red card to hand out on the street. "Get out of my way, and take off your shirt." Why am I not a soccer fan I wonder?

I also need to post a shout out to everyone involved with "In the Heights." It was thrilling to watch this show win "Best Musical" at the Tony Awards last night. I am personally inspired to see so many people of color on the stage in an award winning show, and in fact in both shows that were considered as contenders for the award. "Passing Strange" also made a strong showing. Who knew it would take this long to bring ethnicity to Broadway? I am glad it has arrived! Hurrah!

Off to hand out red cards....

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Call for Classic Shirtlessness

The heat wave has brought an onslaught of male shirtlessness to New York City, not all of it good, but I am for one brief moment satiated in my desire for male shirtlessness since it seems to be all around me. Hurrah! However, I do not feel comfortable taking topless photos of men I don't know, and so I have a bit of a quandry about what to post.

A friend and IMS member suggested that I try visiting some classic shirtlessness in my next few blogs as an alternative to posting pictures from the Hulk movie. So I am putting out a request for instances of classic good male shirtlessness, and I will do my best to examine them over the next few weeks. You will be helping me out because in a few days I will be going into the dark world of tech for my next show, a production of "Man of La Mancha" at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, Long Island, and will have nothing but classic male shirtlessness to keep me going.

I look forward to your suggestions. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness and the City

Sorry to have missed my usual Friday post, especially after getting such a fabulous comment. I was at the National Asian American Theater Conference right after attending the South Asian Theater Arts Movement Conference, both held in Minneapolis, and it was hard to find both the time and internet access to post. Hopefully this delicious picture found on another blog called Superherofan.net will make it up to you. And let me say that I am definitely a fan of superheroes and this blog.

Anyway, before I went to the Twin Cities, I did manage to catch "Sex and the City," and let me say that in spite of all the bad press and my own anxiety about being able to weather another Carrie/Big storm, I had a great time. I like the girls; I like pretty bags and shoes; I especially like good male shirtlessness. So this film really had it all for me. I did miss pithy male/female banter which is a total turn-on for the Jane Austen fan in me and in fact missed the men being allowed to speak at all, but if one movie a year does not allow men to talk, I think that may start to make up for all the films in which women have to say really stupid things like "You had me at hello."

Also, may I say that I caught a clip of M. Gilles Marini on the Today show this week, and he was so cute and charming even fully dressed that I may make him my summer fling. I'm a little bit embarrassed that I have already seen his penis, but I guess I will have to get over it. I like how he added a new element to good male shirtlessness that we haven't seen in a while - wet. Good move!

So now I have to figure out how to both see the movie again and take more trapeze all while rehearsing another production of "Man of La Mancha." This blogger takes her topic very seriously, though, and will make it happen. Until then, I am...

Your in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Flying Shirtlessness

I think I have found the answer to the question, "Where can I find good male shirtlessness after the official television season is over?" The Trapeze School of New York. I took my first lesson yesterday and had a blast! The lesson was a birthday present for my friend Tina who is pictured above with me and our cute instructor Dallas. We were two sassy New York gals looking for adventure, and we got one! First off, for all of you IMS members, may I say that the instructors are shirtless and adhere to the two point standard of good shirtlessness. They were very fit from all their swinging around on the trapeze and had definitely seen the sun, also from swinging around on the trapeze. And here's the thing about this shirtlessness that's better than tv - it's live! Clearly, I am revealing my dating status when I say that it's been quite a while since I have been in the presence of good male shirtlessness, and two hours of running around on a rooftop with two shirtless men was enough for me to declare that summer is officially here and I am ready for more live shirtlessness!

Shirtlessness aside, I have to say it was one of the most fun things that I have ever done. Flying through the air is a wild and amazing experience, and I highly recommend it to everyone. The instructors are kind, everyone is harnessed in, and the atmosphere is very light. I got to do a knee hang, a back flip, a catch, and a split during my first class! The scariest part of the whole thing was putting your second hand on the trapeze and jumping off the board. The flying was really fun and freeing. I could wax metaphorical about how trapeze could parallel your life, but I will leave that for you to think about on your own. In the meantime, I have to figure out how to get back into class!

I'm off to Minneapolis tomorrow for a theater conference. I may not be able to post on Friday but will certainly give it the old college try. Until then, I encourage you to put your second hand on the bar of whatever fear you are trying to conquer and fly! I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS