Indian Shirtlessness - Oh My!

It's a banner day for IMS, folks, since this is the first time I am posting a shirtless Indian man on the blog which was started by an Indian. I give you American gymnast of Indian descent, Raj Bhavsar, who represented the US in these Olympic Games. I'm sure Indians everywhere are feeling proud. I post this picture also in honor of a new recruit who will be celebrating a birthday this Sunday. He so kindly sent me this picture in response to a previous post, and I would like to encourage this interactive use of the blog. Excellent work! Have a fabulous birthday!

I would also like to take this moment to address an issue that has been raised repeatedly in recent discussions. Do you have to be Indian to be a member of IMS? No. While it was a small and fearless group of Americans of Indian descent who began the club back in 2006 at a "Desperate Housewives" finale party where we were all dressed as our favorite character, our group is by no means exclusive. Do you believe that good male shirtlessness makes for a better world? Then you are a member of IMS. May I also say that not everyone at that fateful party was Indian (shout out to the two who wonderfully protrayed Bree Van de Camp and the gardener), and yet they were instrumental to IMS' birth. So welcome to all advocates of good male shirtlessness. We have a lot of work to do and have no time for discrimination of any type.

Finally, I want to acknowledge that the Olympics have created a high request zone for me, and I will have to fill them over the next few posts. So for those of you who are saddened by the end of the Olympics, please take heart in the fact that the pictures will keep coming over here. And special requests will be granted, perhaps not in the most timely fashion. So much work, so little time! Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

World Record Shirtlessness

I am in the countryside with no television and no cell phone service and internet gained only by facing in a certain direction from a certain part of the house. I am contorting myself in all kinds of positions with my laptop in order to fulfill my posting duties. I don't even know what is happening in the Olympics, but judging from this picture, I have to say that it must be all good. This picture is ridiculous, and I don't think I need to say much more than I had no idea that Michael Phelps had a tatoo of the Olympic symbol on his right hip bone. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.

I'm going to have to drive home in a few hours and end my Austonian weekend in the countryside. We've been filling our time with hiking through the woods and swimming in the lake and then cooking obscene amounts of food that we eat at 10 o'clock at night. I've observed some male shirtlessness here in the country and have to say that for the most part it is good. The two part standard is being spread throughout the land. I could get used to this lifestyle except for the contorting to get online thing. I think I've won some new converts to the blog and promoting the movement. New IMS members, welcome! I've now got to look for the last bits of bacon to sustain me on my ride home. When I next post, I'll be back in New York. Until then, I am ...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

More Olympic Shirtlessness

In my continued tribute to the Olympics, I bring you Alexander Artemev, member of the Bronze Medal-winning US Men's Gymnastics team. This picture took a long time to find because apparently gymnasts are encouraged to keep their shirts on when competing. This puts gymnastics at a definite disadvantage to swimming for me, but in the name of being fair, I thought it my duty to suss this photo out. I like what Alexander can do to a pommel horse. Also, I was trying to find a good shirtless picture of Raj Bhavsar, the Indian-American member of the team, in an attempt to finally post a photo of an actual Indian person on the IMS site, and yet he is always with shirt. Alas, Alexander, you will have to do! Thanks for representing!

I am writing from the countryside and enjoying writing that I am in the countryside. It's very Jane Austen. Actually I am staying with friends at a camp site in Connecticut where I have to sit outside and face a certain direction to get wi-fi. And since I would rather spend time swimming or walking or eating the fresh bacon or home-made ice cream than typing on my computer, I am going to leave you...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Olympic Shirtlessness

In my quest for new sources of good male shirtlessness, I give you Michael Phelps, Olympian, Gold medalist, World Record Holder, Poster Boy for IMS. While there are plenty of other pictures of Michael Phelps shirtless (in fact almost all the pictures of Michael Phelps are shirtless), I like this one from the LA Times from the AP because it was taken after he set the world record in the 400 meter individual medley. It's a nice moment to capture. You go, Michael Phelps! Please continue to set records and along with the rest of the men's Olympic swim team, show the world how wonderful good male shirtlessness really is.

I am not going to mention the year in which Mr. Phelps was born, nor am I going to comment on a recent complaint by an IMS member about the swim team wearing long pants instead of their usual speedos for the races. Instead I am going to say how much I like the long lean muscles that are developed through swimming. While this is definitely a different look than, say, the total fitness workout of Mario Lopez, it works for me. Check out the lovely slideshow of swimmers' torsos that NBC has set up here for more on the particular excellence of swimming shirtlessness. I will be watching swimming for the next few days to fulfill my daily quota of good male shirtlessness, and I hope you will too! Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Late Breaking Post - Modern Dance!

I will admit that I forgot to post today. I just got back from a three day mini-break in the Hamptons where I did not see any good male shirtlessness but I did see some interesting plastic surgery and was a bit confused about what day it was and what my responsibilities are. However, I am so glad that I did forget because I was reminded of my posting schedule when I went to a modern dance concert at Lincoln Center Out of Doors and realized that there is a whole world of male shirtlessness that I have neglected - modern dance! Tonight I saw Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and was blown away not only by the excellent male shirtlessness on display but the tremendous choreography. Please check out this gorgeous company! I have long been a fan of Ron Brown and his work, but watching the performance this evening made me remember how much modern dance can really lift your heart to new heights. It took me back to the days when I was a young moderina taking his class in a basement studio and dancing till I literally could not dance any more. What I have always loved about Ron's work is that he always allows his dancers to make the movements their own, and in a company dominated by men, he choreographs for strong women too. And he demonstrates and exemplifies good male shirtlessness as shown in this video from last year. The video is an excerpt of a piece that I saw tonight called "Upside Down," and all the men were shirtless for the whole thing. It was amazing. Please do not pass up an opportunity to see this company!

So I hope the video makes up for the late post, and that discovering a new and inspirational form of male shirtlessness makes everyone do a little dance. I know I will! Until I stop, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

New Shirtlessness

So one of my castmates was showing me how to use Facebook on his Blackberry (yes, I neither am on Facebook nor have a Blackberry and am also distressed that both of these nouns are becoming verbs) when he showed me his friend, Nick Adams, who is currently in the Broadway production of "A Chorus Line." Apparently, besides being a Broadway dancer, Nick is also a 2xist underwear model. Now he is an IMS Poster Boy. I don't know what to say about his torso other than how does this happen and can you make it happen to everyone? Wow! Check out his website for more fabulous pictures of this excellent example of Good Male Shirtlessness. It's frankly ridiculous. And a shout out to Nick himself for letting me post this picture of him to my blog. I realize that it is not a billboard in Times Square, and so thanks Nick for being kind to the little people!

I am recovering from my own show closing last night. We had a great run at the John W.Engeman Theater with a really special cast and crew. I think the fact that the entire cast was crying for the final reprise of "Impossible Dream" is a tribute to how much it meant to all of us. I took some fun pictures with both my show boyfriend and with all of the muleteers which will appear later when someone sends me the photos. (Yes, I do have a camera but forgot it yesterday and had to rely on the kindness and generosity of my fellow castmates for photographic mementos.) Now I have nothing but good male shirtlessness to get me through the inevitable blue period that follows the closing of a show. Feel free to send me your links and pics if you think they might help. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Goodbye Show Boyfriend

My show closes this weekend after a lovely 6 week run, and I have to say farewell to my show boyfriend, David Gandy. At the theater, we call him Fabrizio. This is the actual picture that is stuck to my mirror minus all of the extra stuff like the boat and the cologne. I may bring him home to hang up on my bathroom mirror, but a fellow IMS member has threatened to take him if I do that. So this weekend may be it for us. All I can say is "Didn't we almost have it all, Fabrizio?"

Show boyfriend aside, I will be sad to see this show close. It has been a fantastic experience with a fabulous cast of really kind, generous, and wonderful people. I have been lucky enough to do this show twice with the same creative team, and both times have been an incredible joy. And I have to admit that "Man of La Mancha" gets me all teary-eyed every time. While I think the show has a powerful message for everyone, it really touches me as an actor working in a field that may never recognize all the effort and faith it takes to continue. Those of us who are in this crazy business have to believe in the Impossible Dream at least a little bit every day, and getting to do a show about it has turned out to be incredibly meaningful.

Of course, the other Impossible Dream is a world filled with good male shirtlessness. I hope this blog can help us all further this dream, a little bit every day. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS