Supportive Shirtlessness

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The Vice President of IMS and I have returned from Italy, and after battling some severe separation anxiety from the land of cheese and pizza which we both classified as jetlag, we seem to back on track and ready to promote the cause.  As a returning officer to a cause, I thought it seemed only right to watch "Madam Secretary" last night.  Honestly, I thought I would be supporting the crazy idea that you could have an entire night of programming on network television led by women, but happily within the first few minutes of the show, I was also treated to some male shirtlessness to go with that female power.  In the opening sequence, we see our smart and powerful leading lady, Tea Leoni, awakened by a phone call with her husband, Tim Daly, lying shirtless beside her.  As she takes the call, he remains shirtless and appears supportive of his wife's incredibly stressful job.  I can't even say how happy it made me.  Perhaps "Shirtless Supportive Guy" is a new archetype that we should be touting on the blog.  I like Ms. Leoni and Mr. Daly on the show, and despite some obvious tear-jerking pandering, I like the show.  I can only hope that the cast becomes more diverse as it proceeds through the season, and that of course, Mr. Daly continues to take his shirt off to support his wife's career.  Until next week, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Arrivederci Shirtlessness!

Gentle readers, I am off to Italy for a two week vacation with the Vice President of IMS in tow.  In honor of our sojourn, I give you the Italian National Football Team in Dolce & Gabbana.  I understand it's still quite hot in Rome, and I'm hoping that shirtlessness will be part of our tour along with gelato, cheese, pork products, and wine.  So please know, that even as we frolic along the Amalfi Coast, we will continue to be working for the cause.  Until I return, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness for Good

Gentle readers, I am happy to report that I have found some shirtlessness for good to post as an antidote to all the bad news in the world.  The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the internet by storm, and I'm happy to see that some participants decided to take it shirtless.  It restores some hope that shirtlessness can be a force for good in the world even in the face of darkness.  You all know my love for the Old Spice Guy, and here he is, doing his part to battle the disease.  One IMS member also alerted me to this list of shirtless ice bucket challenges, perhaps not as eloquent as the one above, but certainly worth checking out.  Enjoy, gentle readers!  And please remember that our cause can spread not only joy but healing in the world.  I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

No Shirtlessness Today

I'll admit that I did not post last week because I understood that my blog seemed to be driving some traffic toward my friend Isaiah's photography website.  (If you haven't checked it out, yet, please do!)  But since last Monday, the news in the world has been so sad, it seems inappropriate to post shirtless pictures of men.  I realize that one needs levity in order to get through the tough spots, and I promise to bring some next week.  But for today, I think it's best to take a dark night in honor of all the tragedies that have happened and continue to happen to people caught in the midst of politics larger than themselves.  I leave you respectfully...

Simply yours,
Nandita
President
Indians for Male Shirtlessness

Theater Retreat = Shirtlessness

The past two weeks I have been in writing hell, trying desperately to finish a play that I was commissioned to write.  Unfortunately, I seem to find it harder to write plays that people actually pay me to write than writing plays for free.  This does not bode well for my playwriting career.  Luckily, I have some theater friends who boost me up when I am feeling low, two of whom are pictured above and one of whom is shirtless.  Happiness is shirtless theater.  Now I realize that my difficulty with my own play was probably largely due to the fact that there was no shirtlessness in it.  Hmmm...

So it's generally unusual for any play of mine to not at least make mention of male shirtlessness, but in those rare occasions that I write a shirt-ful play, I am grateful to know that there are other playwrights out there who keep working for the cause, like Adam Szymkowicz whose play, "Violent Bones," is pictured above.  I was lucky enough to be invited to the Flux Theater retreat a few weeks ago where a fantastic group of theater artists got together in the Pennsylvania countryside to workshop plays.  Not only did I get to work on two of my own plays, but I also got to participate in workshops of other plays including Adam's.  Just before this scene, the cast had some discussion of the shirtlessness and decided collectively that it was necessary to do for Adam to get the full experience of his own play, and actor Ryan Andes very kindly removed his shirt.  After that rehearsal, I explained the blog to Adam who assured me that he had several plays which featured male shirtlessness.  So brava to Adam, Ryan, and the lovely Anna Rahn who did some amazing stage sewing as well as concocting a whiskey-looking brew from iced tea and coffee that she and Ryan both drank on stage.  Thank you all for creating a space for male shirtlessness on retreat, something that I think all theater retreats should include.  And thank you to Isaiah Tanenbaum for catching this excellent shirtlessness with his wonderful theatrical photography.  If you'd like to catch more from Flux, check out their upcoming "Have Another" event this weekend which will feature excerpts of plays by me, Adam, and Nat Cassidy.  I can't promise shirtlessness there, but I can hope.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Asian Supermodel Shirtlessness

Recently an IMS member posted a wonderful list of Asian Supermodels on my Facebook wall.  She knows my penchant for diversity in my shirtlessness and thought to send me this list as a resource for the blog.  Consider the resource an excellent one.  Here we have Alex Manning, a model that I had never heard of before, taking off his shirt and looking hot.  I'm glad to know of him now and look forward to seeing more of him.  I applaud this list especially for how it promotes Asian sexiness.  Asian males are often portrayed as less than sexy in the American cultural mainstream (Long Duck Dong, anyone?), but this list offers a variety of reasons, 15 to be exact, to think of Asian men as some of the sexiest you have ever seen.  I also like that most of the guys on this list are shirtless.  So thank you, ER, for this awesome list.  Enjoy until the next time, as I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Sympathetic Shirtlessness

This photo made its way to my Facebook Wall over the holiday weekend.  Although the US loss last week was disappointing, I am happy to know that the shirtlessness continues on throughout the tournament.  Above please enjoy a Brazilian player, David Luiz, comforting a Colombian player, James Rodriguez after defeating him.  I like that they are both shirtless - they just seem so vulnerable.  James Rodriguez was one of the players in Elle's list of hot players sent to me earlier by another dedicated IMS member.  Overall, I am very pleased with the effect that the World Cup has had in terms of shirtlessness and the world.  Carry on!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

National Pride

Though I still don't quite understand how we advanced to the next round after our loss to Germany, I'm happy to continue my support of the US Soccer Team in the World Cup since they celebrate their victories by taking shirtless pictures in the locker room.  Go USA!  I'd also like to point out the diversity of this team.  Although unfortunately there do not seem to be any players of Asian descent on the team, I'm happy to see a diverse group of athletes representing the United States to the world.  This is what (male) America looks like to me.  I hope this is what America looks like to the world too.

Yours in shirtlessness and soccer,
Nandita
President
IMS

USA!

On the eve of my birthday, I am scouring the internet for shirtless images of American soccer players because the team seems to be doing well.  I know yesterday's match was a disappointment with a tie against Portugal, but honestly, America is not really known for its soccer team and to have them almost beat a rather famous team seemed pretty exciting to me.  So go team USA!

In middle school I used to play soccer, and my favorite position was goalie.  So I am happy to post Tim Howard, Team USA's goalkeeper, tonight.  His shirtless shots leaped from the web, given that he has taken numerous shots sans shirt for ESPN and PETA, and I think we can all agree that Mr. Howard gives some good shirtlessness.  Here's to hoping he has reason to rip his shirt off in victory soon!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

World Shirtlessness

As the days inch closer to my birthday, I am overwhelmed by the fever for a certain sporting event that appears to feature shirtlessness as part of its victory dance- the World Cup!  Currently, the Vice President of IMS is reachable only by text since he is glued to the television, and my Facebook feed is filled with names of countries followed by exclamation points and nothing else.  These are heady days.  Cristiano Ronaldo is the obvious poster child for this event on IMS since he seems to have no issues with ripping off his shirt for any reason at all.  May every team that wins, win big and take off their shirts!  Perhaps this year instead of chanting the names of countries as a cheer, we can start rounds of "Take Off Your Shirt" in various languages?

I'm glad that an event like this happens every few years for some guaranteed shirtlessness.  Other than episodes of "New Girl," there are few such instances left.  So let's celebrate summer, gentle readers, and watch the World Cup with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.  Until next week, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Happy Birthday, Lenny!

Gentle readers, many a moon have passed since I last posted.  Since I work as an event planner to support my theater habit, the last six weeks have been crazy with gala fundraisers every Monday night.  Lest you think that I'm standing around looking fabulous and drinking cocktails, my job usually involves me checking people in and telling them where to sit, where the bathroom is, and where to get another drink while wearing black and remaining sober.  I do look fabulous, of course, but in an understated "May I help you?" kind of way.  And sadly, none of my events this season have involved any shirtlessness.  So I'm very happy to report that this Monday,  I have had the day off and just found out that today is Lenny Kravitz's 50th birthday.  I can't think of two better reasons to post!

It is unclear when this photo was taken, but I don't think it was that long ago.  He certainly makes the late 40s look damn sexy as well as that ceramic mug.  Thank you, Lenny, for the inspiration and the continued shirtlessness.  You give this Indian hope that there is still the possibility of good, live, age-appropriate shirtlessness out there.

It is finally summer here in New York after an interminable winter and one week of spring.  I think this means that the shirtlessness will be dicey for a few weeks but then amazing.  I'll keep an eye out for some good New York shirtlessness.  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Awarding Shirtlessness

Take heart, gentle readers, because our work is apparently having a farther reaching effect than even I could have imagined!  I found out yesterday that MTV has a "Best Shirtless Performance" category in its famed Movie Awards, and last night, Zac Efron accepted his award shirtless - very appropriate!  I find this clip amusing because the host keeps playing the shirtless moment over and over.  Enjoy the above clip as I did.  Even though I still feel a touch icky about enjoying the shirtlessness of someone so young, I can't deny that his abs are rock hard and ready for many shirtless scenes to come.  I'm pleased to report that the nominees were four men and one woman, a sign that the shirtless tables have indeed turned.  Thank you for all the hard work you have done, IMS members.  Savor the sweet shirtless victory!


Yours in triumphant shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Remembering the Greats

I got some very sad news of the passing of an old friend this morning and am still trying to make sense of it.  The last time I saw this friend, he picked me up and carried me into the theater we were attending, and so it seems impossible to imagine that today he's no longer here.  On Facebook today, I saw the above image and remembered how this friend introduced me to Gregory Hines.  Actually, it was less of an introduction than a work assignment to take care of Mr. Hines while he attended our event, but still.  When I was accompanying Mr. Hines and his wife into the theater, he insisted on taking the stairs while his wife and I took the escalator.  He told me that Mary Tyler Moore told him the secret to aging well was taking the stairs whenever possible.  And to this day, I still do, even though Mr. Hines left this earth far too early as well.  Remembering them both, I can't help but think that all the stair-taking and superfood-eating cannot stop the inevitability of death.  They were both men who seemed to take great pleasure in life.  And that is perhaps all there is.

Yours in shirtlessness and friendship and love and life,
Nandita
President
IMS

Stage Shirtlessness

So yesterday I went to see Sarah Ruhl's new play, "Stage Kiss" at Playwrights' Horizons, and in addition to being to treated to a female protagonist, some hilarious jokes about a life in the theater, and several very touching moments not to mention a whole lot of stage kissing, I was delighted to see some live male shirtlessness exhibited by the leading man, Dominic Fumusa.  I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Fumusa in Sarah Ruhl's "Passion Play" a few years ago, and thought he was an amazing actor who was able to bring great humanity to the three roles he played in that production.  Shirtlessness aside, I think I enjoyed Mr. Fumusa's performance in "Stage Kiss" most of all, a vulnerable portrait of a flawed man who is as good as he is bad for his leading lady.  When he appears shirtless in the second act, he seems most vulnerable, most open, and most real.  Strangely, I thought his sexiest shirtless moment, was as he put his clothes back on.  And unlike, most of the shirtlessness seen on stage and screen today, Mr. Fumusa looks like a real man as opposed to one who has been plucked and preened and worked out to a very specific image.  Not to say that I don't like all those muscle-y guys taking off their shirts (Gilles Marini, please don't change a thing!), but there was something wonderful about seeing a man whose body had not been waxed and oiled on stage.  I also do not want to imply that Mr. Fumusa is not in shape or does not look good; he is and he does!  His shirtlessness was just of a less self-congratulatory nature than the prevailing norm, and I liked it.

In other stage shirtlessness news, EST currently has a show running called "Fast Company" written by my friend and colleague Carla Ching which also features some brief but delightful and totally sensible shirtlessness.  The play runs for another week, and if you would like to see it, use the code MAYI for 25% off tickets.  Carla's fast and funny play follows a con by a family of grifters who also happen to be Asian.  Unlike a lot of ethnic dramas that get produced, the play is not about ethnicity or anyone's sadness about being Asian but rather a tale of family dysfunction and love all wrapped up in game theory.

So there are two places you can go to see some good shirtlessness along with your entertainment this week.  Get going!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President

I Love You, J Lo!

I was delighted to receive this video from an IMS member - J Lo's response to the objectification of women in music videos is to shoot a video featuring lots of scantily clad men in exotic locations like mansions and yachts.  While the IMS member who sent it was less enamored of the song than the video, I think that it speaks to the reasons the blog was started in the first place.  The assumption of the heterosexual male gaze in so much of modern media is taken for granted, and blogs like this one and videos like Ms. Lopez's both seek to create space for the gaze of others.  So gaze away and enjoy the above video.  I know I did!

To be fair, this is not the first video in which Ms. Lopez creates eye candy for straight women and gay men.  Anyone remember "I'm Into You?"  I'll never forget shirtless William Levy running on that beach.  And in both of these videos, she does not look too bad herself.  She is definitely inviting a male gaze while offering something for the ladies.  But I have to give it to her.  Jennifer Lopez, you are my hero.

Until her next video, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtless Towel Dancing

A friend recently sent me this clip as an example of funny shirtlessness, and I have to agree.  These boys have a very fun take on shirtlessness, and I support it.  Shirtlessness does not always have to be sexy and sultry; it can also be playful and joyous.  So in celebration of spring, I give you the Naked Towel Dance.  Enjoy!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

One for the VP

I missed posting yesterday due to a crazy schedule, but I've been wanting to post this picture of the delightful Theo James ever since I saw the trailer for "Divergent" a few weeks ago.  Some of you may remember Mr. James from his brief shirtless appearance on Downton Abbey as the doomed Mr. Pamouk.  I hope he lives through this film.  I know a certain Vice President of IMS will be in a hurry to see this film, and so for him, I post the back tats of the gorgeous Mr. James.

Part of the craziness of Monday was due to the craziness of Oscar night on Sunday when I stayed at a party till the bitter end of the telecast.  Actually, I enjoyed the Oscars more than other years because the awards seemed to be more spread out than the sweeps for Oscars past.  It also helped that Lupita Nyong'o gave one of the best acceptance speeches ever.  And that I was watching at a home where the hostess kept pouring everyone mulled wine in seemingly endless quantities.  Getting home late and having a packed day led to me passing out last night before I could post.  Hopefully this back will make up for it.  Until next Monday, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Happy Opening Night!

I'm in the midst of a workshop for my latest full-length play, and so I don't have time to say much other than Happy Opening to the cast and crew of "Kung Fu," the best shirtlessness Off Broadway.  I'm posting this smiling picture of its star, Cole Horibe, because I think it captures both his great shirtlessness and his excellent accessory to shirtlessness, kindness.  In most of the publicity shots, he looks like he is going to kill someone (he is playing Bruce Lee after all), but here you get a glimmer of his personal gentleness.  I think it's a great metaphor for the show itself which has a lot of dynamic movement and some flashy effects at the end, both wrapping a heart of gold that exposes the difficulties of minority actors in the business.  I don't think I could offer a better cheer to the whole cast than Kick Butt!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Kung Fu; No Shirts

Last week, I had the chance to see a preview performance of David Henry Hwang's new play at the Signature Theater, "Kung Fu."  One of the publicity shots from the show is featured above, and so all of you can tell that I was very excited about the show.  Guaranteed shirtlessness!  Also, a multi-racial cast dramatizing the life story of one of the first Asian stars in America, Bruce Lee.  This show was clearly up my alley!  I'm sorry to say that I did not know a lot about Mr. Lee, although through the play, I now realize that I owe a lot to him for my career in the theater.  Mr. Lee broke through many  barriers to allow Asian-Americans to have a presence in the American cultural mainstream.  Now some, including me, would say that many of these barriers still exist, but they are not as strong as they once were, thanks to Mr. Lee's brave kicks to the system.  I came away from the show educated and inspired.

But of course, you, gentle readers, want to know about the shirtlessness, and I will say that it does not disappoint.  I won't say when Cole Horibe, who plays Mr. Lee, takes off his shirt, but I will share that when he does, it is good.  Very, very good.  And his shirtlessness exists to make a point about one of the barriers that Mr. Lee was fighting, the de-sexualization of Asian men.  Even on this blog, I have bemoaned the lack of Asian-American shirtlessness in the media and theater.  So thank you to Mr. Horibe and Mr. Hwang and the director, Leigh Silverman, for creating an opportunity in the New York theater for an Asian man to be sexy and to flaunt and use his sexuality in ways that men of other races do not even think twice about.

And for the record, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Horibe after the show and found that he possesses one of my favorite accessories to shirtlessness, kindness.  Honestly, it would be hard to find a nicer guy.  He sweetly posed for pictures with strangers after the show, talked to the friends of all of his castmates (myself included), and generally carried himself with self-effacing grace.  I am a fan of his and of "Kung Fu" and hope you all run out to see it!  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Ask and You Shall Receive!

So I've been bemoaning the lack of live shirtlessness in my life on this blog recently.  I'm not too proud to admit that my activism has, for the most part, benefited others much more than myself.  No man has taken off his shirt in my presence in quite some time.  BUT, the Universe works in wondrous ways, and today I had a glorious chance to witness some good male shirtlessness firsthand.

I went to an afternoon yoga class today to mix up my schedule after an audition was cancelled.  As I walked in, I noticed a man setting up his mat at the back of the room, wearing sweats and a hat.  When he took off his hat, I thought that he looked very much like Colin Farrell.  But of course, it couldn't be Colin Farrell because what would a movie star be doing in my yoga class on a Monday afternoon in a pretty boring neighborhood of New York?  So I laid my mat down and began the class.  And somewhere along the way, this man who looked like Colin Farrell took his shirt off.  It was like the heavens released some angels to put a fit shirtless, good-looking man in my yoga class right behind me so that every time I was in downward dog, I could gaze upon his very nice shirtless back.  It made me so happy!  Now I can't say whether it was or it wasn't Colin Farrell since I was very busy being a cool New Yorker who does not get excited by celebrity sightings or alternatively a woman who is not a stalker staring down some poor guy in her yoga class, but I can say definitively that the shirtlessness was real and it was good.  So in honor of my new yoga buddy, I give you Mr. Farrell shirtless, making his first appearance on my blog.  Thanks for making my day and possibly my year brighter with your live shirtlessness.

I wonder if this blog has magical properties that allow the things I write about to manifest in reality?  What should I write about next?  How I'm really bummed that George Clooney hasn't paid me a visit?  So much to consider!  Until then, I remain...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Superbowl Shirtlessness

While I did not actually watch the SuperBowl last night (Instead I went to a show with a sold out run that had a few cancellations), I did check out the Halftime Show after I got home and was delighted to see the combination of showmanship and shirtlessness showcased this year.  I understand the actual game was terribly boring, but the Halftime show was anything but!  Now I have been accused of being age-ist with my shirtlessness, but the truth is that most men stop taking off their shirts after a certain age.  Apparently not the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Anthony Kiedis is 51 years old and still rocking a six-pack.  And sweet young Bruno Mars wowed us with his dancing while fully dressed.  I liked it!

I also went to see "The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra" this weekend at Ma-Yi Theater and had a fantastic time.  You should go!  When I wrote to the writer and director to congratulate them on a job well done, I mentioned that I was unable to promote the show on the blog because there wasn't any shirtlessness.  (Mind you, I was not complaining since it is a children's show that has lots of great jokes for parents.)  The director wrote back to point out that one of the space monsters was shirtless, and that the original design had included a shirt but that he had requested it to be taken off after reflecting upon my aesthetic.  I can't say that it is good shirtlessness, exactly, since it is on a space monster, but I have to feel pleased that I am spreading shirtlessness intergalactically at this point.

It's this kind of comment that gives me a small bit of hope even as I continue to have difficulty posting in the face of a shirtful existence.  It's hard to keep encouraging good male shirtlessness for others when there is so little for me.  But then I find out that my message is having an impact, and who am I to deny shirtlessness to others?  So gentle readers, I will continue to advocate for good male shirtlessness in hopes that someday maybe some might even come my way.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A New Year

Gentle readers, it has been a month since I last posted.  I would like to say that the hiatus was caused by the evil Time Warner Cable or my hectic holiday travel schedule or some fabulous job that swept me away.  Sadly it is none of these things.  Rather it is a malaise that has settled upon my posting for the past year as I realize that however much I post about male shirtlessness in the media, there continues to be no actual shirtlessness in my life.  I started the blog half as a joke and half as a clever way to discuss the female gaze and the lack of its acknowledgement in the media.  I still believe that women are largely ignored in the creation of media content (Why are female newscasters so much more made up and attractive than their male counterparts?) and think that following the shirtlessness often results in finding places where the heterosexual female gaze is acknowledged.  Often implicit in this acknowledgement are gay men who are also largely ignored in the mainstream media.  And let's face it, it has been fun to post about good male shirtlessness over the past 7 years!  But sometimes a girl wants her own actual gaze to be acknowledged, and that hasn't happened for quite some time.

This is in no way a farewell post.  I will continue to write about the instances of good male shirtlessness that I witness as I always do.  But I am going to slow my posting schedule to once a week on Mondays.  Maybe that will leave space for live shirtlessness to come into my world.

In the meantime, I do have to post my yearly tribute to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  The program I saw last weekend blew me away, in particular a piece choreographed by Aszure Barton called "Lift" which is pictured above.  In once section two dancers perform an entire duet with the woman's face attached to the man's chest as you see here.  It was one of the most intimate moments I have ever witnessed in dance.  This duet was so riveting that I did not even care about the shirtlessness.  I felt as if the entire audience was holding its breath.  So here's to a new year in which perhaps shirtlessness can be overshadowed by artistry.  Until next week, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS