Inside Shirtlessness

Yesterday morning, I had a moment while listening to the Golden Globe nominations because I thought that the diversity of this season's films had been overlooked.  But then I realized that the nominations come in two categories, and all was right with the world again.  One of the diverse male actors nominated is the above pictured, Oscar Isaac who is getting amazing buzz for his role in the Coen Brothers' movie, "Inside Llewyn Davis."  I have yet to see the film, but I am looking forward to it based solely on the interview I saw him give Matt and Savanah on the Today show.  Perhaps it is sad just how much a man who speaks in full sentences can impress me, but there you have it.  He is cute, speaks articulately, and sings all his own songs in the movie.  And he has taken off his shirt in a film before.  So hurrah Oscar Isaac, and congratulations to all the nominees!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Things I'm Thankful For...

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and I for one am very grateful for many things.  I'm grateful for a holiday that is about family and food and that said holiday has remained about those things unlike other holidays surrounding it.  I'm grateful for the fact that I have had so much work lately that I haven't had time to post.  A non-destitute President is a happy President!  And I am grateful that People's Sexiest Man Alive issue has come out just in time for my plane ride home for the holidays.

Now I have seen some hating on Facebook about why Adam Levine was named this year's Sexiest Man Alive, but I'm going to say that Mr. Levine is pretty sexy.  I'm glad People is mixing it up a little from its usual brand of white movie star.  This year it is a white rock star.  Baby steps, People, baby steps.  In any case, I am going to curl up with my issue and feel thankful that this year's choice insures a lot of shirtless pictures within the issue.  Until next week, have a happy Thanksgiving as I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Mean Boy?

Gentle IMS members, while it is true that I have been traveling a lot lately, the truth is that my lack of posts has been more a product of lost inspiration than of not having time.  While I am always advocating for more male shirtlessness, I'm afraid that lately I have been feeling rather alone and ineffective with the cause.  Readership has gone down while shirtlessness has not gone up, and I wonder if it is still worth keeping the cause alive.  After all, there has been a huge shift in theater and television towards shirtlessness since this humble blog began in 2007.  Is there really that much more to do?  And does anyone still care?  And finally, will this ever translate into actual live shirtlessness at any point?  I don't have the answers, my friends.  But I have decided that it is worth trying to figure them out, at least for another day.

A friend recently posted this picture on my Facebook wall and made me think that perhaps the cause is still relevant.  Above is Rajiv Surendra,  a South Asian-Canadian actor, who you probably will not recognize from "Mean Girls" because he has undergone such a major transformation.  Mr. Surendra played Kevin Gnapoor (while my brother's name is Kevin, I am dubious about a South Asian last name spelled with a G and an N together), the Indian nerdy kid in that film.  I actually saw this movie with my brother who was terrorized by teenage girls while trying to buy us popcorn.  He was very pleased, however, to see an Indian character with the name Kevin since actual Indian people never believe him when he says his name is Kevin.  Anyway, Mr. Surendra definitely did not take off his shirt in the movie, but I will say that I am certainly looking forward to the movie when he does!  And if this South Asian kid can transform himself for the cause, well then I can too.  Until Friday, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Share the Shirtlessness

One of my favorite dance companies, Keigwin + Company, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with a week of performances at the Joyce Theater kicked off by an Opening Night benefit tomorrow night.  I won't be able to attend the gala because I will be at another benefit for a theater company on whose board I sit, Rising Circle Theater Collective.  I'm a bit surprised that there are two galas that would appeal to my demographic happening on the same night and that I will be attending the one without shirtlessness.  I guess October 29th is a hot night!  In any case, I have admired Larry Keigwin's athletic and humorous choreography (to pick a mere two adjectives to describe his work) for many years.  I was at the Joyce Soho when he premiered his dance on a mattress which marked the beginning of his company.  To gear up for the anniversary season, the company has produced a series of mattress dance videos, one of which I have posted for you.  Obviously, I posted the shirtless one, but I encourage you to check out the others to get a sense of his whimsical work.  The one with the baby is my favorite!

Until next time, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Subway Shirtlessness

Last week a friend of mine posted that she had seen Taye Diggs on the subway on Facebook.  Of course, I had to ask about the state of his shirt, and she replied that she yelled out the window for him to take his off but only a homeless man seemed to notice.  Well played, nonetheless, and I believe a new member of IMS has been born.

Looking through pictures of Mr. Diggs to find the one above, I was struck by how he simply has not aged.  His early headshot is online, and he looks exactly the same!  So this week, let us celebrate a man who has been giving good shirtlessness for almost 20 years and looks as good now as when he helped Angela Bassett get her groove back.  Thank you, Taye, for keeping the cause alive and providing inspiration to all!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Prinze of Shirtlessness

It was only this past summer that I finally watched "She's All That" one rainy afternoon in Philadelphia.  The cat whose house I was staying at was standing guard at my door in case I decided that I was not actually allergic to him, and I found myself pretty much stuck in my room.  No matter, I told myself, because now I can watch this teeny-bopper flick that once my high-school boyfriend dismissed as ridiculous.  It was pretty ridiculous.  My issue was not that Rachel Leigh Cook was pretty cute both before and after her makeover (which consisted of exchanging her overalls for a dress), but that Freddie Prinze Jr.'s character seemed like a complete jerk both before and after his.  I also could not believe that he was supposed to be a football player in that movie.  But lo and behold, Mr. Prinze is apparently making a comeback after taking some time to concentrate on his family with Sarah Michelle Gellar, and he is doing it with a shirtless scene.  Way to emerge from teen heart-throb-land with a six-pack!   I wish I had Lifetime!

So after all my doubts about him, I'd like to say he is all that!  And I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Arrows of Shirtlessness

Last year, I posted some ads from this show that were plastered everywhere, making my walks on the streets of New York much better.  All of them featured the star of the show, Stephen Amell, shirtless with a bow and arrow slung over his shoulder.  This year, the posters are all over again, but they have branched out to feature other characters from the series including this one of David Ramsey.  Mr. Ramsey was apparently also on Dexter (which I have not seen because I don't have any premium channels).  I have spent some time examining his arms in this photo and must say, I don't really understand them.  How are those muscles possible?  I have no answers, but I know that I like them.  I definitely need to see this show and find out how a multi-cultural cast takes off their shirts to fight crime.

I'm headed off for work again this weekend, and so my next post will be on Friday.  Hopefully my travels will include some new shirtlessness to mix things up a bit.  In spite of the fact that we are at the beginning of the season, other than Arrow, I have not seen a lot of shirtlessness to anticipate.  Perhaps I'm just jaded at this point.  But you never know; it only takes one instance of good shirtlessness to perk me right back up.  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

They Are Shirtless

Although I missed the premier tonight, another IMS member was kind enough to report that the above show contained a lot of shirtlessness.  She did not say much about the rest of the show, but I thought it was worth noting.  I was busy re-writing my latest play for the 4th time and trying to figure out a way to get more shirtlessness included when this program aired.  I'll admit that the poster intrigued me - first by the fact that two of the men in the title are brown (Tony Shaloub is technically a brown man as a Lebanese American), and second by the fact that the shirtlessness is out there but not particularly flattering.  Frankly most bodies in motion don't look great in freeze frame, unless of course you are an Olympic swimmer, and I thought it was brave of these guys to put it out there in conditions not conducive to good shirtlessness.  I won't rib Kal Penn too hard for not taking his shirt off until I see the show. 

I'll admit that on the eve of a government shutdown, it is hard to focus on male shirtlessness.  My only hope is that one day the Congressional stand-offs will end while good male shirtlessness will endure.  While it is difficult to keep the faith in these trying times, I ask you all to stand with me in that hope.  Until every man takes his shirt off or we go off the fiscal cliff, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Local Shirtlessness

Gentle readers, it has been a tumultuous time for the President of IMS, reflected in my erratic posting schedule.  Between my ongoing unhappiness with TimeWarner Cable and its internet services and a travel schedule to make a grown person weak, I have found myself unable to post with the frequency that some of you have come to love.  Alas, though never-faltering, my dedication has experienced some challenges.  The good news is that, although I have not been able to post as much, I have continued to create good shirtlessness on the stage by writing a new play for The Flea Theater in TriBeCa which will definitely have some shirtlessness.  My play will not go up until January, but apparently there is already some good shirtlessness happening there in the current production of "The Recommendation" by Jonathan Caren, directed by my friend Kel Haney.  Kel was kind enough to alert me to the shirtlessness in the play, of which the above is only one example, and invite me to come on Sunday night, which is where I will be.  I'm looking forward to seeing a new play with a multi-racial cast and good shirtlessness that is directed by a woman.  I mean, will wonders in the theater never cease?  I'm excited to support the cause and have some fun reporting on Monday.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Getting Back on Track

A few readers have recently nudged me about the lack of diversity in the last two posts, and so I am returning to the ever-popular Buzzfeed list to highlight some Asian hotties who should take their shirts off on tv more often.  I'm not sure how I missed James Kyson Lee on "Heroes," but his above pictured abs need to be seen more often.  They are kind of ridiculous.

Lately, I've noticed a downturn in traffic to the blog, and sometimes I ask myself if this is the result of my erratic Time Warner Cable-influenced posting schedule, or if in fact the cause has become passe.  I mean, shirtlessness has become more and more prevalent in the years since the blog began.  Perhaps some feel that there is no need to rally anymore.  But then I wonder if this movement is going the way of feminism, accepted to a certain degree until it makes people really uncomfortable.  Because for a short period of time, the "Blurred Lines" parody was taken off of YouTube for offensive content while the real video (which is far more offensive in my opinion) continued to play and play to adolescent boys across the land.  Perhaps the culture has accepted the reality of the female and gay male gaze, but only to a point.  If men are truly objectified in the same ways as women, is it too much?  Have we become complacent?  I put these questions out to you, gentle readers, even as I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness Down Under

A friend recently posted this video on Facebook, and I had to share it with all of you since it featured an accessory to shirtlessness that I don't often discuss - musical talent.  I love this number from "Sweet Charity" and actually watched the video wishing that I had ever had a chance to perform it.  But turning the tables on the song to be sung by a line of shirtless and almost shirtless guys was genius, and something that I know all the members of IMS will enjoy.  To top it all off, this performance was created in order to raise money for AIDS through OZ Showbiz Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (the analogous organization to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS here in New York) - so philanthropic shirtlessness.  I approve!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
Indians for Male Shirtlessness

Shirtlessness is Funny

No doubt all of you gentle readers have noticed some of the furor around this summer's anthem "Blurred Lines."  I will admit that in spite of being an ardent feminist, I like the song, mostly because it's just so much fun to dance to and I honestly can't understand most of the lyrics.  I feel like most pop songs sung by male vocalists for the last 30 years have been a riff on "You know you want it," and I find it surprising that the one great dance song to come out this summer has started such a furor.  It's no "Call Me Maybe" but it is a lot of fun.  I will not even blemish this blog by discussing the rendition featured on the VMAs.  What I will bring to the table is this fantastic parody of the song.  I am not a big fan of the actual video since you all know my stance on completely nude women being featured with entirely dressed men, and this parody takes that trope and turns it on its head, in some cases literally.  It also retains the best part of the song which is the groovy hook.  And of course, all the men are shirtless.  Enjoy!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

New Girl's Shirtlessness

I stumbled upon an episode of "New Girl" the other night as I was packing to go to my second wedding of the summer and saw a scene of one of the best kisses on television ever.  I won't spoil it for any of you who have not watched all of the second season or even all of the first.  All I can say is that it was so good that I found myself binge watching the show in between wedding activities all weekend long.  And I discovered something amazing - Max Greenfield takes off his shirt in every single episode.  Now Mr. Greenfield does tend toward the pale and definitely is not a gentleman on the show, but there is something kind of endearing about a man who finds himself so socially out-maneuvered that he takes off his shirt whenever he feels uncomfortable.  I wish this would actually happen in real life.  But until it does, I'm happy to know that I can at least witness it every Thursday night.  I'm also pleased that there is a sassy Indian woman on the show.  Male shirtlessness, non-white characters who are not stereotypes, and excellent screen kisses?  I think I'm hooked.  Until next Thursday, I am definitely...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

For Andrew with Love...

Continuing on the Asian leading male thread... I went out to dinner with some friends to toast my friend Andrew who is moving to the West Coast at the end of the month.  Not surprisingly, we discussed the list that I posted on Friday, it was made very clear to me that some people have preferences for accessories to shirtlessness that I did not even consider.  For instance, the above pictured Takeshi Kaneshiro got a lot of airtime for his ability to speak three languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese.  Multilingual people are quite sexy.  The discussion of his language abilities left everyone rather breathless.  Was it that we had just stuffed ourselves with a ridiculous amount of Filipino food, or that languages turn us on?  Gentle readers, I'll let you decide.  And for Andrew, whom I will truly miss in New York for his artistry and his enthusiasm for eating small plates with me, I post Mr. Kaneshiro.  May the West Coast bring many more like him.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

27 Asian Leading Men Who We Would Like to See Shirtless

Yesterday, a member of an Asian American theater company that I belong to posted this wonderful link on my Facebook wall - 27 Asian Leading Men Who Deserve More Air Time, and I did a happy dance knowing that I had some fresh faces for the blog.  To be fair, I have already posted 5 of these men, not including the delightful John Abraham, featured above.  But I look forward to seeing more of the other 21, a lot more.  The title of this list is a bit misleading since many of these Asian actors do get a lot of air time in Asia.  I think they meant more airtime in Western films and television which is, of course, rather ethnocentric of the writers, but I'll forgive them because many of the pictures were shirtless.

Now Mr. Abraham, in addition to being a male model who possesses a waist to rival Hrithik Roshan, is also a wonderful actor who was in the critically acclaimed "Water" by Deepa Mehta.  I thought his performance was especially moving in this incredibly emotional film, and I don't think he took his shirt off at all.  So A+ for Mr. Abraham for possessing another great accessory to shirtlessness, talent.  I'm not going to lie, the above picture freaks me out a little bit.  It has to be airbrushed, right?  Where could all his organs fit with a waist that small?  Maybe he'll do another independent film, and we will be able to find out.

Apologies again for my poor posting skills for the last two weeks.  In addition to taking a short vacation at the beginning of August, I also found myself without internet for a week, thanks to Time Warner Cable.  I don't know how this company continues to exist with the poor level of customer service, not to mention semi-annual outages, aside from its monopoly on the market, but I can say I don't like it. Now that it's back, I have 21 Asian men to research!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtless is the New Topless

Okay, I admit that in the past week, I have watched the entire season of "Orange Is the New Black" on Netflix, falling for their evil marketing strategy to make me watch their streaming videos all day long.  I'm going to tell you that ever since I switched to streaming only, I have been disappointed in the selection of movies.  Let's face it, no Ryan Gosling shirtless films are available on streaming.  But with the advent of their Netflix Original series, "Orange Is the New Black," I have been converted back to a happy Netfliz subscriber.  The show challenges all kinds of assumptions we make about people who are convicted of crimes, women in general, racism, sexism, societal power structures, and even the human heart.  I basically binge watched the entire season, mostly on a Saturday night.  It's sad, I know, but honestly the last time I went out on a Saturday night the only single man I met was someone who had already slept with one of my friends.  Why not stay home and watch an interesting show that tells the stories of women and also features the adorable Matt McGorry as one of the few men in the prison?  He even takes his shirt off in one episode, during which I clapped.  His character is sweet, if clueless, and sometimes shirtless; what more could I want on a Saturday night?  I try not to dwell on the fact that the only show on tv about women right now takes place in a prison; I'm just grateful that there are women who are all the colors of the rainbow in this show and that all of their stories get told.  I'm hooked on the series, and I hope that some of you gentle readers will be as well.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Mutant Shirtlessness

"The Wolverine" opened last night, and obviously it will be an IMS sanctioned film.  I saw the preview before "Man of Steel" last week, and Hugh Jackman will not disappoint on the shirtlessness front for sure.  Mr. Jackman has been a reliable source of shirtlessness over the years, but what I like even more about him than his shirtlessness is his gentlemanliness.  After all, who was the only person to get out of his seat and try to help Jennifer Lawrence when she stumbled up the steps to make her Oscar acceptance speech?  Hugh Jackman.  Who sells his sweaty towels for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS after every Broadway show that he does?  Hugh Jackman.  Who adopted mixed race children because he felt they were overlooked in the system?  Hugh Jackman.  So while he looks so huge in this movie that I suspect he had to eat chicken breast every two hours for months, my real admiration for Mr. Jackman comes from the fact that he seems always to be trying to help.  Hurrah for him!

I'm sure that I will organize an outing to see the movie, although not until later in the month because I seem to be very busy celebrating love for the next few weeks.  I have found myself in the position of having three weddings to attend in the next month along with all of the accompanying activities, and so trying to make time for shirtlessness will be difficult.  But I'm sure it can be done.  I am nothing if not committed to the cause.  Until Monday, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Abs of Steel

I finally saw "Man of Steel" this weekend after being bombarded with negative reviews of the film from friends.  I actually had fun, and the above picture will show you why.  Henry Cavill is both shirtless and on fire in the film.  That scene alone was worth the $14.50.  I literally started clapping when it happened.  Now I grew up on the Christopher Reeve movies (I think I even went to "Superman 2" with a group of girls for my birthday party one year), and "Man of Steel" is certainly much more angsty than that series, as it seems are all of the superhero reboots of this millennium.  I do find it interesting how even in this millennium, human-looking alien races always tend to be white.  And there are some clunkers in terms of dialogue, particularly the line poor Amy Adams has to say after their first kiss.  But overall, I was entertained.  The flashback scenes were actually quite touching, especially those with Kevin Costner who was acting like crazy in his five minutes of the film.  And let's face it, Henry Cavill is just so darn pretty to look at.  While his shirtlessness is limited to the early scenes of the movie, his Super suit leaves very little to the imagination.  And aside from his ridiculous body, he also does have one of the best smiles I've seen on the big screen in quite a while.  I liked it, and I don't mind saying so.

In the meantime, I noticed a sort of sad trend during the previews in that every single film presented some kind of apocalyptic vision of the not too distant future.  Although I'm not surprised, I did find myself feeling more and more somber as each film preview rolled.  I wondered if this is where we are as a society.  The news seems so terrible from day to day with no relief in sight.  Honestly, I am currently live-streaming the webcam shot of St. Mary's Hospital door in London waiting for news of the royal baby's birth because that seems like the only good news there might be this summer.  I am hopeful that perhaps all these depressing apocalyptic films will make people demand good stories sometime soon.  That's the silver lining that I'm hoping for.  In the meantime, as long as Mr. Cavill continues to take off his shirt for the cause, I am a big fan.  Until Friday, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Great Accessory

Since I waxed philosophical last week, I thought I'd just throw down some old-fashioned shirtlessness this week that features some of my favorite accessories to shirtlessness.  First of all, this cover of Next Magazine features three handsome actors from the Off- Broadway show, De La Guarda, making it theatrical shirtlessness, a very important and delightful variety.  My dear friend and IMS member, Adam Lobato, is featured on the left along with two of his very buff castmates.  Adam is Latino, which brings us to another  great accessory, diversity.  And then finally, all three of them appear to be playing in water, a fantastic accessory to shirtlessness if there ever was one.  On this 100+ degree day, this photo is a sight for sore eyes!

And just in case you think I didn't mean what I said last week, I'm mostly happy to post a photo of Adam because he is one of the kindest people I know.  And kindness is the number 1 accessory to shirtlessness.  So may you all weather this oppressive heat with some good male shirtlessness and kindness.  It's really the only way to survive.  Until Monday, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Word on Shirtlessness

Today, dear readers, I am not giving you shirtlessness.  Instead, I am giving you a video that has had a slow but profound effect on me over the past week and caused me to look at my dedication to the cause yet again.  This video of Dustin Hoffman sharing what he learned about being a woman through the process of making "Tootsie" has been making the rounds on Facebook.  I've watched it a few times and have been moved to tears myself because most of the time I feel like the "Tootsie" woman, the woman whose value may be disregarded because of the way she looks.  I suspect that most women do.  We feel this way because most of us don't look like Kim Kardashian or Katy Perry or whoever is on the cover of every magazine each week, and the truth is that these women don't even look like themselves when you take away the stylists and the airbrushing.  And most women do have something to offer.  Many of us even have a lot to offer.  But to hear Dustin Hoffman admit that he was not open to it because of the way that they looked, well, that was profound.  That he was determined to make the movie because of his own biases was impressive.  How many of us challenge our own biases if we recognize them at all?

So then I asked myself how I feel upset about being judged for my looks when I actively promote the objectification of men through my blog?  And my answer is that this blog has always been about pushing back against the objectification of women.  Indians for Male Shirtlessness started as a response to the gratuitous nudity that female actors had to offer in order to satisfy the straight male gaze that is the presumed audience for any television show or movie.  In my opinion, we have had to take it off forever, so perhaps the men could show a little skin and look good while doing it, thank you.  Not to mention, that regardless of how any man looks with or without his shirt off, he has a higher chance of being heard than even the most beautiful woman.  Finally, I do take care to mention the accessories to shirtlessness, my favorite one being kindness.  But here's the thing, I hope this blog empowers women to look because so often no one really thinks that we are.  Take the Zesty Guy, for instance - why not use some sex appeal to sell salad dressing?  They've been using it to sell cars forever!

And let's face it, this blog has secretly been my way of talking about racism and sexism, particularly in the media.  I'm pretty sure that no one would read a blog called Feminist Indians for Diversity in the Media.  Or maybe they would just before they fell asleep.  So male shirtlessness has been my vehicle to talk about larger issues.  I hope that is a cause that you can continue to support.  So enjoy the video of Dustin Hoffman.  I welcome your comments.  And just to be fair, here's a little vintage shirtlessness to stay true to the cause.

Until Monday, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Pinoy Shirtlessness

Over the weekend, I was lucky enough to get one of the hottest tickets in New York City right now, "Here Lies Love" at the Public Theater.  This new show with a score by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim and directed by Alex Timbers follows the life story of Imelda Marcos until the fall of her husband's regime in 1986 and features a largely Filipino cast.  Since you have all witnessed my rantings about the lack of diversity in theater and the systematic whitewashing of Asian stories, you can appreciate my happiness to be in the audience of this show.  But beyond the strangely unusual experience of watching Asian people play Asian people, I have to say that the show was incredibly innovative, provocative, and just plain old fun.  The entire cast sings and dances non-stop for 90 minutes on a club-like set in which the audience keeps moving around like people at a rave.  Anyone who isn't singing his or her face off onstage is backstage changing costumes at breakneck pace.  The story is told almost entirely through songs with some help from projections.  And I left the theater genuinely interested in learning more about that period of Filipino history.  I'm a theater artist because I believe in the power of live performance to open the human mind, and last night's show did just that.

So why is there a picture of Bruno Mars on my blog?  Well, I'll tell you.  In addition to all of its above mentioned attributes, the show also featured some very good shirtlessness.  Since it is a surprise in the show, I won't say who, and I won't say when.  But it is there, and it is good  There are no publicity photos of it to post, and so I had to go with another Pinoy, Bruno Mars, to represent.  So I'm just saying.  If checking out the future of theater is not enough to lure you to the Public by July 28th, then let the promise of good shirtlessness do it.  You won't regret it.

Until Friday, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

New Shirtlessness

Last week, I went to a bar to wish an IMS member and her IMS poster boy husband adieu before they moved to Lalaland (Oh LA, why are you taking all my Asian actor friends away from me?), and I learned about Daniel Henney.  We were having a conversation about two of my favorite topics, shirtlessness and diversity, when his name came up.  I'm very excited to post a sexy Asian man because I don't think Asian men get their due respect in the sexiness category.  So go on with your bad self, Mr. Henney.  I'm impressed that he was able to forge a career in Korea in spite of not speaking Korean and then come back to the US to do little movies like "X-Men."

In other news, I'm going through the blue period that usually accompanies the end of a show.  The extreme heat in New York has yet to make shirts optional for men on the street, but here's to hoping.  I suspect that there will be some air-conditioned movie going in order to cool me off and cheer me up.  Stay tuned for news on the next IMS outing for Man of Steel.  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Birthday Shirtlessness

Gentle readers, you may have been asking yourselves "Where is the President of IMS, and why hasn't she been posting anything lately?"  My answer to you is that for the last week of my stay in Philadelphia, I was without internet service in my housing.  But I left Philadelphia last Monday to do a short gig in San Francisco, and the odyssey that I embarked upon was so epic that it is only now that I am in any condition to post.  Sometimes sheer exhaustion does stand in the way of the cause, and for this I deeply apologize.  Even the President of IMS can get worn down once in a while.

So last Monday was my birthday.  Since I spent my previous birthday sipping prosecco in a palazzo in Italy, I knew not to expect too much from this one.  But since I was traveling to a spa in Sonoma for a quick gig, I thought this birthday could hold its own delights.  Little did I know that I would spend almost the entirety of it in airports and airplanes across the country.  I won't go into the entire sad tale of what happened to me - suffice it to say that thanks to US Airways, it took me 22 hours to reach my destination.  During that time, my carry on bag with my phone charger was checked against my will, an airline stewardess promised to buy me a drink which never materialized, I listened to a baby cry for 2 hours, and I wound up on a different airline than my baggage which meant that when I finally landed at 1:16am, I had to go to a different terminal to retrieve my luggage.  On the positive side, I did get to eat a Rick Bayless torta in O'Hare which was very tasty.  The best thing that happened, however, was that one of my amazing friends, seeing my plight as I chronicled it on Facebook, put out a call for people to post shirtless birthday greetings on my wall to cheer me up.  And cheer me up they did!

While there were many excellent photos of Hugh Jackman, Orlando Bloom, and others along with great selfies and vacation pics posted to my wall, all of which I enjoyed quite thoroughly, the above photo takes the cake.  One of my writer friends happened to have a play performing that night, and he very considerately asked some of the actors in his show (two of whom I know personally and one whom I have never met but apparently was nice enough to play along) to pose for this picture.  I love it for so many reasons.  Everyone has such hilarious expressions, they've caught the sexiest moment of shirtlessness which is indeed the moment just before the shirt comes off, and the direct eye contact with the camera seems to be saying "Happy Birthday, Nandita" each in his own specific way.  I thank each of these men for contributing to the cause and to my birthday in such a profound and personal way.  I am forever changed.

So for those of you naysayers who think that male shirtlessness is a ridiculous cause, let me just say that it made all the difference to one forlorn little Indian girl traveling across the country at the pace of 1975 Dodge Dart.  In fact, at one point, the shirtless pictures were all that kept me from throwing myself off of the immobile plane.  As I believe in the strength of the cause, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Super Shirtlessness!

Summer has officially begun, and the blockbusters are kicking off some good shirtlessness!  I am particularly excited about "Man of Steel" since it stars the delightful Henry Cavill as my favorite superhero, Superman.  Mr. Cavill has graced this blog before when he played the loyal yet tortured Charles Brandon on "The Tudors" and spent most of the first season of that show shirtless.  As the above trailer shows, Mr. Cavill will continue to further the cause by appearing shirtless in this film in addition to wearing a suit that is essentially a unitard.  I love him.  If I were not doing a show in Philadelphia, I would organize at IMS outing to see this movie immediately.  Not only am I excited to see his take on Clark Kent, but I am also thrilled to see him paired with an actress who is older than him.  It's rare to find a Hollywood blockbuster in which the female love interest is older than the lead, and as someone who is also older than Mr. Cavill, I applaud the choice.  Who knows, maybe next will be a superhero movie with a mixed race couple?  Will miracles never cease to exist?

And speaking of miracles, this year's Tony Awards featured top awards to African-American actors and female directors.  There was a lot of hoopla about the diversity of this year's show which I must applaud.  I can't help but be a little bit surprised though that it took this long to have a show that was not just a parade of white men.  I hope that next year's show will build on it and include some other minorities too, like Latin people and Asians.  In such a diverse city, I wish that our theater would reflect its make-up more accurately.  Here's to hoping!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness on Broadway

Apparently our work has had enough of an effect on Broadway to warrant an essay by the venerable Ben Brantley in the New York Times this week.  Two IMS members sent me this link the day it came out.  Mr. Brantley seems less beholden to the shirtlessness than we are, but I'm glad he is commenting on it in the Times.  I'll agree that sometimes, shirtlessness can seem like more of a costume than a shirt when everyone's torso has been worked out to the exact same shape of perfection.  And I don't think that anyone needs to take off his shirt to give a great performance.  But I'm not going to lie - I enjoy some eye candy.  In an industry where the text of what anyone is saying is not always the most interesting thing, I'll take some shirtlessness.  Sebastian Stan, pictured above, garnered quite a bit of notice for his shirtlessness in "Picnic" this winter.  I like his torso and can see why someone might consider running away with it, I mean, him.  In any case, I think it is important to consider what we are promoting here at IMS.  In no way is IMS advocating for cookie cutter torsos across the boards, but rather for men to take care of and feel good enough about their torsos to show them off now and again.  Thanks to Mr. Brantley and Broadway for making me refocus on the cause.  I'll probably never thank those two entities on this blog ever again, so let's all take note.  Also, let's hope that this weekend's Tony Awards take similar note - perhaps a shirtless number or two?

Until Tuesday when I get back from my day off shenanigans, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Back in the Saddle

Although my show is not quite open yet, I am finally through the vast majority of rehearsals as well as my traipsing back and forth to New York for extra work on my days off.  So it seems that I can get back to my duties as IMS President and resume my normal posting schedule of Mondays and Fridays.  Today I went shopping with one of my fellow cast members, and while she was trying on some dresses, I happened to catch a glimpse of the Ellen DeGeneres Show which just happened to have Joe Mangiello on as a guest today.  Many IMS members have written to me with enthusiasm about Mr. Mangiello, and I can't say I blame them.  As you see in the above picture, the man has muscles that I didn't know existed.  He certainly lives up to all the nicknames that I have heard him called.  If you don't know what they are, I suggest you say his name three times fast, and you'll get at least one.  Most of them refer to a type of dessert.  In any case, it seems that Mr. Mangiello is a classically trained actor which obviously prepared him for his work on "True Blood" and "Magic Mike."  I like a man who can recite Shakespeare shirtless.

Until this Friday, gentle readers, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Emergency Post!

Gentle IMS members, apologies for being MIA for the past three weeks.  I am currently rehearsing for a show in Philadelphia which has kept me from my posting duties.  Good news for me, but not so great for the blog.  Once my show opens next Wednesday, I look forward to resuming my bi-weekly posting schedule.

In the meantime, I did receive a frantic call last night from the Vice President of IMS regarding the season opener of "The Bachelorette" in which one contestant, the above pictured Zak Waddell, emerged from the limousine shirtless.  Having pooh-poohed the show since the first Bachelor decided to choose the girl with the biggest breasts, I have never followed any developments on this show except for what the VP tells me, i.e. which Bachelorettes are true believers in the cause.  DeAnna Pappas got strong props from the VP for being a true promoter of good male shirtlessness.  It looks like this season, whether Bachelorette Desiree Hartstock believes in the cause or not will make little difference in the shirtless quotient of the show since apparently, Mr. Waddell refuses to wear a shirt.  He has certainly made a strong impression on the VP.  Let's see if he can last until the final rose ceremony!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Real Shirtlessness

Gentle IMS members, new inspiration has been found after discovering that our work together is having tangible effects in the real world.  It is one thing to clamor for more shirtlessness in Hollywood where people have nothing but hours and dollars to devote to fitness and seeing the sun.  It is quite another to realize that people who work very hard every day in the real world can also dedicate themselves also to having good shirtlessness.  This week I am featuring my friend, Michael Goddard, who in addition to being an amazing theatrical agent has also made a commitment to good shirtlessness.  In the past six weeks with the help of the staff of Mark Fisher Fitness, he has worked hard to shed the hibernation weight of this miserable New York winter to look fierce for spring, which lucky for all us finally decided to grace us this month.  I am so proud of Michael and his amazing transformation.  This former Broadway dancer was never anything to sneeze at, but his recent regimen has allowed him to be an IMS Poster Boy.

Brava, Michael!

I look forward to more stories of real good shirtlessness as we all emerge from the winter like butterflies from a chrysalis.  In fact, I'm hoping the change of seasons will bring me some stories of my own!  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Cutie

Ever since Anthony Mackie did a segment on the Today Show with Al Roker about Bromances and Man Hugs, I have had a little crush on him.  He has a cute face and seems not to take himself too seriously, both of which are great accessories to shirtlessness.  However, until now, he never seemed to take his shirt off on film, but in his latest movie, "Pain & Gain," he appears to wear tank tops exclusively.  I applaud his movement toward shirtlessness.  He's playing a body-builder who turns to a life of crime, and so baring his torso makes perfect sense.  I'd venture to say that shirtlessness almost always makes sense, but I realize that I am biased.

In continuing my advocacy for good male shirtlessness, I'm happy to report that my latest play ends with the line "Take your shirt off!"  It's getting a reading this Monday at Ma-Yi Theatre, and while I can't insist that anyone take off his shirt for a reading, I am imagining full shirtlessness for the full production.  I'm so pleased that my advocacy has really taken hold in my writers' group.  Several of the plays being read for our LabFest this spring include shirtlessness.  I only wish my advocacy for women and people of color could also take off so spectacularly, but I guess, all in good time.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

More Commercial Shirtlessness

Our work has not been for naught, dear IMS members.  It seems that corporate America has finally caught on to the idea that they should make ads geared towards women who do the majority of household purchasing instead of hocking stuff with bikini-clad models.  No doubt, bikini-clad models sell a lot of stuff, but the introduction of the Old Spice Guy campaign apparently doubled sales of Old Spice.  I'm just sayin... So to encourage the trend of excellent shirtlessness in advertising, I give you the latest Diet Coke add which frankly smacks of "Call Me Maybe" in my opinion.  I'm impressed that the subtle message embedded in this ad is not only that Diet Coke will inspire men to take their shirts off but also that Diet Coke if spilled all over an individual will make him appear to be sweating rather than sticky.  Neat trick Diet Coke.  I remember the Cindy Crawford Pepsi commercial from back in the day and am grateful that 20 years later someone thought to make a soft drink commercial to please me.  I wonder if we'll have to wait another 20 years for there to be more than one token non-white person in the commercial or for the object of desire to be of an ethnicity other than Caucasian.  Baby steps, I know.  At least there will be more shirtlessness to comfort me while I wait.

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Zesty Shirtlessness!!!

So the Vice President of IMS just alerted me to this series of commercials making the rounds for Kraft's Zesty Italian Dressing, and let me say, kudos to the VP!  Anderson Davis is certainly zesty in these commercials.  I chose this one to share for its inventiveness in getting his shirt off.  Genius!  I have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of Mr. Davis in the months to come.  If Kraft wants to sell lots of dressing to straight women and gay men this summer, I think this commercial will do the trick.  Check out the pizza one for some racier shirtless action...

The past week has been a bit rough for a variety of reasons, and so I have to give major props to the VP for really making me smile.  Oh hey!  Let's hope that this week is zestier if not just outright better.  Until Friday, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Little Shirtlessness

After last week's post about diversity on Broadway, I had to post a positive image for change and could think of no one better to recognize for his talent and shirtlessness upon the Broadway stage than Mr. Norm Lewis.  Not only does he give great shirtlessness as pictured above and have a voice that melts like butter, but he is also an incredibly kind man.  So thank you, Mr. Lewis, for representing from all us at Indians for Male Shirtlessness.  We salute you!

In other news, I will be taking a few weeks off from the blog in order to get married.  Yes, my days of complaining about the lack of actual shirtlessness in my life are over since we all know that marriage is a constant shirtless-fest!  I can't reveal the name of my fiance quite yet, but let's just say it rhymes with "looney."  Things have been developing under the radar for a while which has been just a nightmare to hide.  Those posts about being "sick" and "having too much work" were all just ruses for my incredible romance to blossom.  I look forward to sharing all when I return.

Until the next April Fool's Day, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Magic Shirtlessness

A kind IMS member recently sent me a link to a list entitled, "33 Hottest Guys on Broadway" which I eagerly opened today in hopes of finding someone new to post.  In spite of this Broadway season being among the most shirtless in recent memory, I have not been to a Broadway show in a while and wanted to catch up on who is hot.  The list contained quite a few shirtless men.  What the list did not include was very much ethnicity.  There were two African American men on the list. Since Broadway is located in New York City, fabled melting pot of many cultures and races, I found this list rather shocking in its homogeneity.  But I shouldn't be surprised since I've read the report on Diversity on Broadway that the Asian American Performers Action Committee published a few months ago.  Sigh.

So then why is Adam Rodriguez at the top of this post, you may ask?  Well there is a rumor that "Magic Mike" is going to be turned into a Broadway musical, following the formula of so many recent musicals, and I am posting Mr. Rodriguez in hopes that when the transformation from film to stage happens, they will at least keep one ethnic character in the show.  I'll be happy to see a musical in which all the numbers are sung shirtless and happier still if they keep it sexy by featuring shirtlessness of many races.  When the Weather Girls sang "It's Raining Men," they did specify "Every specimen: Tall, blonde, dark and lean, rough and tough and strong and mean!" Let it rain all kinds of men on Broadway soon.

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Muay Thai Shirtlessness

This morning as I scrolled through status updates on Facebook, I noticed this man staring out at me from the comments section of one my friend's statuses.  He was commenting on a Top 50 Rabbis list, and his friend posted a Top 50 Hottest Jewish Guys list.  I couldn't help but click on it.  I went to middle school with so many Jewish kids that I begged my parents to let me get bat mitzvahed.  They did not.  In any case, the list is quite good and includes my favorite bad boy, Adam Levine.   This guy, Ilya Grad, came in at number 1.  He is apparently a top ranked Muay Thai boxer, ranked in the top 8 worldwide.  Now I have no idea what Muay Thai boxing is, but I suspect I wouldn't mind finding out more about it.  Mr. Grad seems not to wear a shirt very often which of course recommends him to the blog.  So in honor of the coming Jewish holiday of Passover, I give you Mr. Ilya Grad, a 24 year old Muay Thai boxing champion who is poised to give some good shirtlessness all over the world.

In other news, it is still winter here in New York.  This is not good for the live shirtlessness front which usually starts showing up around this time.  It snowed yesterday, and so I suspect another long, shirted weekend for me.  I wish you, gentle readers, better weather in the days ahead.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness by Any Other Name

Lucky for me, there are some really active IMS members out there keeping me up to date on good shirtlessness in many other forums.  Recently, I was alerted to this Asian hottie, Eddie Peng/Peng Yu Yan, who seems to be all the rage in China.  Given his amazing shirtlessness, why shouldn't he be?  I'll admit the fact that his arteries appear to be leaping off his abdomen scares me a little, but his 6 or 12 pack is really phenomenal.  I hope this Chinese-Canadian actor will make the leap to English language films soon so that he can take his shirt off in a language that I understand.  Of course, we shouldn't forget that shirtlessness is a universal language.  So here's to you, Eddie Peng, for your international shirtlessness!

Until the next time, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

At the End of the Day

If the blog has felt lackluster of late, gentle readers, please know it is due to a crisis of faith in the President of IMS.  Seeing the sitemeter ratings go down each week, knowing that my posts about racial diversity in the media are turning my readers off, has certainly added to my malaise, but the truth is that it has been a long and hard winter for this President.  In spite of finding that there is more shirtlessness on Broadway than ever before, sometimes the work of a leader seems useless and ineffective.  Perhaps everyone goes through these moments of self-doubt.  I find myself turning to the J Lo "I'm Into You" video for solace these days, imagining that hunky William Levy is running, running, running towards me in all his shirtless glory and that I am wearing a dress made out of coins and designer shades looking amazing at 43.  This is my fantasy.  Because today I wrote an application for a playwriting fellowship in which I answered the question as to how I was pushing the boundaries of the American theater with the sentence "I have multiple people of color on stage at the same time speaking."  How this has become boundary pushing in 2013 is beyond me, and yet I am reminded of how revolutionary it is two or three times a week when I actually sit in the American theater.  I feel discouraged, gentle IMS members, when I find that I have to push in order to be seen for a role as an Indian woman.  I feel disappointed when even the companies formed to combat racial prejudice practice their own prejudices.  And then I have to cradle my iPad and watch the JLo video over and over to make myself feel better.  But then I think about how this blog started in 2007, inspired by one scene in one movie, and how now shirtlessness abounds in movies and stage appearances.  Maybe this is just a bump in the road.  Maybe things can change.  I don't know.  I just have to work on one torso at a time.  And so I continue...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Special Request Shirtlessness

Recently a certain IMS member suggested to me that Theo James was worth returning to on this blog.  Some of you may remember Mr. James as the sultry if weak-hearted Mr. Pamuk on Season 1 of "Downton Abbey" where he provided one of the rare yet delightful instances of shirtlessness in that program.  Clearly, from the photo above, he is no stranger to taking his shirt off, nor should he be.  Now he's shooting a new show in New York called "Golden Boy" sporting a cute haircut and an American accent.  The thought of running into him somewhere in the city is really too much for this IMS President to imagine.  I once ran into another hunky actor from a cop show, Chris Meloni, in an elevator and was pretty much reduced to an idiotically smiling and nodding weirdo for our entire 60 floor ride.  But it does put a spring in my step to think that around any corner, Theo James may be shooting a scene, and if CBS knows anything about ratings, it will make sure that he is shirtless in as many of these scenes as possible.  Even though it snowed in New York today (and yes, it is March), I feel hopeful that some outdoor shirtless scenes could be in the air.

I won't say which IMS member requested Mr. James, but I will say that this photo is an homage to a time when this person and I looked at other bathtub photos together.  Since that episode was actually the moment when I realized that I was a Gay Icon, I hold the memory dear.  And I raise my glass to you, IMS member, for all the work you do to promote the cause.  More shirtlessness for all!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtless in Shakespeare

Over the weekend, I went to see Theatre for a New Audience's production of "Much Ado About Nothing" with some of my fellow actors and IMS members who did the show with me a few seasons ago.  We all love the play, not just because we did it, but because we have a soft spot for the verbal jousting of Beatrice and Benedick which in my mind is the pre-cursor to all the rom-coms that we watch on film now.  And the person whose verbal gymnastics made us swoon was Jonathan Cake in the leading role of Benedick.  Now some of you may remember him from DH as the evil cop who briefly dated Bree.  He freaked me out in that show, and so I was feeling a little bit apprehensive before the show.  One of my seat mates remembered him from Lincoln Center's production of "Cymbeline" in which he had a prolonged shirtless scene.  He won me over in the first scene of Much Ado, and I spent the rest of the show wishing he would take his shirt off, even though I knew he wouldn't.  The chemistry in Much Ado comes from its witty banter, not from nudity.  It did make me think that a man who can both speak the language of the Bard and take his shirt off is one sexy man indeed!

Wishing you witty banter or good shirtlessness in the week to come, if not both!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

What a Man!

February has officially kicked my butt, gentle IMS members.  Between the freezing grey weather, the horrible flu, and the overall lack of shirtlessness, I have just about had it.  I've been trying to figure out whether it is better to keep a stiff upper lip (as the folks on Downton would say) or be brutally honest when people ask me how I am.  As you can see above, I've chosen honesty.  And honestly, this winter stinks.  But let me share with you a gift I received through honesty.  One friend who knew I was having a hard time sent me this video, reminding me of happy days in the early 90s when I used to listen to Salt-n-Pepa obsessively.  Watching this video brought a smile to my face, and seeing it through the lens of good male shirtlessness only showed me that my preferences were there all along.

I understand that Salt has become a born-again Christian and disavows some of the lyrics from her hip-hip days which is too bad, because even 20 years later, the lyrics of their songs still seem empowering to me.  Here are three ladies talking about what they like in a partner and owning it.  They celebrate themselves and the good men in their lives.  They think it is important for their partners to be good lovers, good friends, and good friends to their friends. You are not going to see any of the ladies on "Girls" asking for that.  So hey 1993!  Thanks for making me smile!

May all of you ask for what you want and receive it.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Downton Madness

I'll admit that I am just mad for "Downton Abbey" that totally un-diverse, no shirtlessness soap opera that has captured the hearts of the UK and America for three seasons.  Last night's season finale was devastating.  I won't spoil anything but even though I knew which character had to go, I was still broken by it.  Terrible, just terrible.  And of course, now I'm left wondering how I will get through the next 11 months until the next season.  There were several upbeat moments in this downer of a season finale, however, and one of them was the tiny bit of shirtlessness exhibited by Allen Leech as the chauffeur cum son-in-law, Branson.  I don't know if the fact that no one takes his shirt off in Edwardian England makes this scene so vulnerable, but I'd like to applaud Mr. Leech for giving me a little bit of shirtlessness before the hammer came down at the end of the episode.

So I've had the flu for the past week in spite of getting the flu shot.  I've just been a mess for the whole week, unable to do much of anything, not even blog.  Although I am currently on the mend, I still feel awful and weak.  I don't think I have ever been laid up like this ever.  Not fun.  Several friends sent cute messages saying "Hope a shirtless man comes and takes care of you," but alas no one actually sent a shirtless man.  So I've had a revelation that while I have been advocating for good shirtlessness for the world, I've actually not been advocating for it for myself.  This is a real problem, and one I intend to address as soon as I am well again.  True advocacy starts at home, and this home needs some shirtlessness!  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Holiday Shirtlessness

Gentle IMS members, Valentine's Day is upon us.  May we all experience some excellent shirtlessness on this day!  I have heard this day referred to as Singles Awareness Day (SAD), but I prefer to think of it as Buy Yourself Chocolate Day because if you can't love yourself, who can you love?  But seriously, Valentine's Day like almost every other holiday except for Arbor Day has turned into a commercial experience designed to make one group of people feel sad and to make the rest of the people pay exorbitant prices to eat.  I refuse to feel sad or pay high prices which may leave me on my own, but at least I know I have you, dear IMS members continuing to fight for free access to male shirtlessness everywhere.  In the spirit of holiday shirtlessness, I give you the Old Spice Man whose series of Christmas Old Spice ads continue to make me laugh.  I think being awakened by his gentle whispers would be very nice.  If only my name was Lisa, Angela, Pamela, and/or Renee.  And let's face it, Christmas and Valentine's Day are becoming almost the same holiday in terms of commercial pressure to spend and buy. 

I'm still mulling over the issues I raised in recent posts about how only featuring one group of people can create the illusion that that group is the only one with a certain attribute, like say sexiness or worthiness.  I have been having a hard time myself finding non-white shirtlessness to post, and I know it's not because there aren't plenty of non-white males taking their shirts off and looking good.  But the media does not seem to celebrate it and by inundating the airwaves and internet with only one kind of image, it creates the fallacy that the greater public only wants that kind of shirtlessness.  The same in theater, when only one kind of story gets told over and over again, the perception becomes that that is the only story that anyone is interested in.  So I'd just like to say that I love it when Asian, African-American, and Latino men take their shirts off in the media.  They are beautiful and I want more!

Yours in diverse shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Thank you IMS members!

Today's poster boy came to my attention through a diligent IMS member who thought I would appreciate some South Asian shirtlessness.  I do.  Adam Caldera is part Sri Lankan, part Dutch, and totally giving good shirtlessness.  That multiple pack of abs is ridiculous, and I feel confident saying that Mr. Caldera really should not wear a shirt most of the time, unless of course, he wants people to listen to what he is saying and then definitely a shirt should be worn. 

In the New York theater world, or at least the small part that I inhabit, the Asian American theater world, there is currently a hub bub over a production of the show "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the Roundabout Theatre Company which features two Caucasian actors in brownface portraying two people of Sri Lankan descent.  The story is about two English actors impersonating Sri Lankans which presumably justifies why these two actors have been dipped in brown paint to look like they are South Asian.  What I don't understand is why it's okay to resort to brownface in this day and age.  Casting notices have taken to reading "open to all ethnicities to convincingly play Indian," and I'm not sure what I am supposed to take this to mean.  When I read it, I think "looking for white people to play Indian" but I am assured that this is not what it means.  I'm really looking forward to when I am called into an audition that is "open to all ethnicities to convincingly play white."  White is not neutral, people; it's an ethnicity open to being impersonated like any other.  In fact many of us do so in our daily lives just to fit in.

One thing I will say for the mainstream theater is that while it has still not embraced multiculturalism, it has embraced shirtlessness.  Just this week another IMS member sent me a page from the Wall Street Journal with an article entitled "Beefcake on Broadway" and offering its suggestions for Best Pecs Tony.  If only they would give out a Tony for Best Shirtlessness!  Until that day, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Concept Shirtlessness

I had to post this commercial since my phone started to blow up last night when it aired.  I missed it in real time because I was out eating a fine French meal in an empty restaurant for Restaurant Week with some girlfriends who also did not care about the Super Bowl.  We did, however, get to watch Beyonce at the halftime show on the television in the bar.  In any case, after I came home and watched "Downton Abbey," I looked up this ad and found it quite pleasing on a cold winter night.  After several viewings, I still don't understand why this product is called "Concept" unless the concept is to stretch all the time wearing nothing but underwear, but let's face it, I don't really care. I'm happy that someone thought to put a commercial targeted at the girls and gays on the Super Bowl.  After all, Beyonce was performing.

Speaking of which, I'd also like to applaud the Super Bowl Entertainment Committee for presenting "Divas Live" last night.  Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keyes, and Beyonce all in one night?  That is some incredible lung capacity going on right there.  Not to mention the surprise reunion of Destiny's Child. I had no idea who won the game when I went to bed last night, but I was very clear that Michelle, Kelly, and Beyonce were ready to bring it whenever necessary.  Grrl Power!  They were so fierce that the lights went out!

So if this is the trend, well then, I might take to watching the Super Bowl again.  If only the players would play shirtless!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Saturday Night Shirtlessness

I missed this because I am like a curse to Saturday Night Live - whenever I watch it, it's not funny, but apparently the shows that I miss are hilarious.  So I help them out by not watching and then catching up on good clips later.  An IMS member recently alerted me to this excellent mix of shirtlessness and comedy exhibited by Adam Levine.  He has tatoos and a high voice which are not usually my preference, but somehow I just can't get enough of him.  His using shirtlessness for laughs just endears him to me more.  So thank you Mr. Levine for doing what you should do on live television.

In other news, another IMS members sent me a link to a blog post about shirtless highlights from the last year, but not one of the highlights featured a man of color.  Given my New Year's Resolution and my general distaste for racism, I felt I could not post this link.  I know it may seem silly to draw the line there, but I do feel when "Sexiest" lists repeatedly feature only people of one ethnicity, it sends the message that all other ethnicities are not sexy and that's not right.  People of all colors of the rainbow are sexy, and while on this blog I do advocate for good male shirtlessness, in life I like to advocate for rampant sexiness for everyone. As someone who does not fit the typical sexy mold but believes that she is sexy in her own unconventional way, far be it from me to promote only one group of people being sexy.  So there.

So get out there, dear IMS members, and be your own sexy selves!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

International Shirtlessness

Over the weekend, I had a funny conversation about K-pop with a friend that led us to the subject of Rain, the K-pop sensation who frequently takes off his shirt.  In the spirit of my New Year's Resolution to present a wider scope of shirtlessness, I thought I would post him and his good shirtlessness.  I don't know that much about K-Pop aside from Psy and the little bit that I sampled once when I had to choreograph a number to a K-pop tune in a show last year.  Obviously, I made one of the dancers take off his shirt in the number.  Dancing shirtless seems to be the international symbol for "I'm having fun and would like you to have fun as well."  It's good stuff.

This winter is bleak for shirtlessness.  The extreme cold prevents pretty much anyone from seeing the sun, and so I'm giving everyone who lives here a pass on shirtlessness for the next month.  Seriously, it is so cold and cloudy that I am almost white.  No one needs to be blinded by sunless torsos.  This makes the blog even more important as a source of regular shirtlessness. I say to you, my fellow IMS members, that these are the days in which our mettle will be tested to hang on to the cause even though the most popular show on tv right now is Downton Abbey in which no one does or should take his shirt off.  But carry on brave members.  Hope is not lost, and spring is around the corner.  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Frosting a Cake

Two IMS members have sent me this link, and so I feel compelled to share it with all of you.  After all, who doesn't like shirtlessness and cake?  Don't be alarmed by the word "Nude" on the video.  Our Master Froster is wearing pants.  Perhaps the person who made this video hasn't really experienced nudity in a long time and therefore became confused when MF took his shirt off.  I can't be sure.  But rest assured, here at IMS I continue to advocate for shirtlessness only and remain dedicated to the idea that pantslessness is for private.  Enjoy, but be forewarned that the video will make you strangely hungry for yellow cake.

It is currently 23 degrees in New York, a whopping 11 degrees higher than it was yesterday.  This is not shirtless weather.  In fact, yesterday I wore do many layers that I could not turn my torso independently of my waist.  It was uncomfortable, and at one point I thought my circulation might be compromised.  I'm ready for some warmer weather.  But until then, I will say let me eat cake and watch shirtless videos!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Dreams Come True

On Martin Luther King Day which also happens to be the Inaugural Day of President Barack Obama, I have to pause and think about dreams.  Because today one man's dream is coming true in another man's life, and it's hard not to appreciate how putting an idea out there can change the course of history, even if not in your own lifetime.  I wonder if Dr. King could have ever imagined a day when an African American President would give a speech facing a statue of him.  I wonder what dreams that each of us puts out into the world by speaking them can come true in the next 50 years.

I have many dreams.  Yes, some of them involve male shirtlessness and honestly some of those dreams have already come true.  But there are still lots out there that I put a little energy into each day to make a reality.  And today I pause not to be frustrated that things are not happening fast enough but to savor the process by which dreams do become reality.

One of my friends has been having some of his dreams come true lately.  I don't know if being posted to my blog is one of them, but here he is showing a little bit of skin in a publicity shot from his show "Copper."  My dream is that he does take his shirt off in Season 2 because not only does he meet the Two Point Standard, but he also exhibits my favorite accessory to shirtlessness, kindness.  His dreams have inspired mine, and I hope they will inspire yours too.  Until the next time, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Leaving Las Vegas

I spent the last week in Sin City, working on a live performance at the Consumer Electronics Show.  I was excited for a week in the desert in the middle of a very cold New York winter and then learned the cold hard truth that the desert can also freeze.  In fact a few days it was colder in Vegas than in New York.  I tried not be bitter about the bikini wax I had gotten in anticipation of warm weather and focused on the fact that quite a few celebrities were supposed to be at CES, several of whom are known for their good shirtlessness.  Adam Levine was scheduled to play on Monday night, and I instructed the rest of the cast to scream "Take your shirt off!" if they saw him.  Sadly, we never saw Mr. Levine, and I did not give explicit directions about other potential good shirtlessness which resulted in half the cast meeting Tyson Beckford and Mr. Beckford's shirt remaining on.  It was a crushing blow.  So between the freezing cold and the poor instructions, it was not a good week for male shirtlessness.

My only reprieve was when I went to see "Vegas! The Show" in which a friend was performing.  Halfway through the review-style show, my fellow CES cast-mate leaned over and asked "Why are their shirts still on?" of the four male dancers working hard on stage.  I felt a surge of pride knowing that I had just found the newest member of IMS.  And then, as if on cue, the dancers exited and re-entered shirtless.  We all started clapping with joy. A good time was had by all, and I was satisfied that at least I had experienced some male shirtlessness while in Vegas.  Not the kind I was hoping for, but something nonetheless.  I'll just keep hoping for my expectations to be met eventually.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS