"I'm living with a bunch of bitches dude. It's ridiculous."
- Contestant Casey's delayed revelation
Anyone tuning in to Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model will be hard pressed not to draw the following conclusions: male models are shallower than a rain puddle; heterosexual male models can out-bitch and out-whine their homosexual counterparts; but homosexual male models definitely have more balls.
A rip-off of UPN's America's Next Top Model, Manhunt clearly appeals to the gay demographic with all the prime beefcakes on display and promises to turn "the world of modeling on its high-heels by focusing the camera on the ever-neglected world of male fashion models with the first-ever search for the hottest male model."
Created by Bravo Network, which has earned itself a reputation for its gay or gay friendly programming that includes Boy Meets Boy, Gay Weddings and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Manhunt comprises 8 one-hour episodes and focuses on a group of aspiring cover boys who are plucked out of obscurity to compete for the ultimate prize: a US$100,000 contract with top international modeling agency, IMG.
Manhunt is hosted by former Baywatch babe Carmen Electra, who also shares judging duties with male "supermodel" Bruce Hulse and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Marisa Miller. Undoubtedly weighed down by her torpedo-sized boobs, Carmen Electra struggles valiantly with her hosting duties but still manages to strike fear in the hearts of the male models with her elimination repartee: "That was your last shot."
Still, if the first episode is anything to go by, viewers can expect to have their baser instincts pandered to with gratuitous scenes of exposed testosterone-fuelled flesh. For instance, the contestants were made to perform a homoerotic man-on-man tandem parachute jump clad only in boots and Calvin Klein underwear and accompanied by strains of "It's Raining Men."
Eye-candy aside, can someone explain to me how near-nude skydiving is relevant to the world of male modeling? More importantly, can someone tell me the name of the hair product used by coiffed-to-within-an- inch-of-his-life Ron whose hair remained meticulously in place even after jumping out of a plane?
Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model premieres on TCS5 (Singapore) on June 22, 2005, Wed at 10pm.
(Spoiler alert: The following page contains information which reveals the juicy plotlines of subsequent episodes and winner of the show.)
(Spoiler alert: The following paragraphs contain information which reveals the juicy plotlines of subsequent episodes and winner of the show.)
Supplementing these episodic "challenges" are, of course, painful scenes of eyebrow plucking and body waxing as well as behind-the-scene moments where contestants talk about their insecurities, backstab each other and assert their masculinity by rehashing the "I may be a male model but I'm not gay" tagline ad nauseam.
Gay viewers should watch out for the South African contestant Paulo who (even at this early stage) exhibits the diva qualities of a true supermodel when he insisted on having absolute control over his hair and makeup - that is, until he was bitch-slapped by the stylist who said: "I don't need your input." (Ouch!)
Then there is Southern boy Hunter who wins the Most Homophobic Subsidiary Title hands-down for uttering the line: "Quit calling me a bitch, I'm not some fucking queer." Ironically, he was later exposed as having once worked as a dancer at the gay bar known as the Backstreet Dance Club in Little Rock, Arkansas.
To spice things up, producers of the show have also included an "embedded spy" or a male-model-under-cover Kevin Peake who reports to the judges on what the models are up to and is living proof that male models can't act, as well as two gay contestants: Ron (who was eliminated early) and Rob (who was eventually made runner-up).
Of the two gay contestants, Ron had previously appeared on gay porn website dickshow.com and was credited by Manhunt chronicler Andy Towle as providing the "most open womanly sobbing we've seen so far." Meanwhile, Rob reportedly identifies himself as a lesbian in his gay.com profile and provided much drama (and nail chewing) in the episode when he came out to his fellow competitors.
More importantly, when confronted when the final "challenge": a nude photo shoot (you can start salivating now), it is the gay Rob who showed the world that only gay men have the balls (pardon the pun) to truly succeed in the catty world of male modeling.
For while eventual winner Jon Jonsson (who has since embarked on a modeling stint here in Singapore) had this to say: "I don't want freakin' pictures of my wiener all over the Internet and stuff," Rob showed much grace under pressure and merely asked: "Do I have to shave my balls?"
And for that gung-ho attitude alone, this writer (if he had any say amongst the judges) would gladly confer upon Rob, sexual orientation notwithstanding, the sash of "America's Most Gorgeous Male Model."
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