Earning the gold medal in the pommel horse men’s individual event, Rhys McClenaghan adds some prestigious metal to Ireland’s appearance at the Paris Olympic Games while being named Dazzler of the Day. Though Stephen Nedoroscik has gained the eyes and admiration of the world thanks to his Clark Kent-like transformation and his own recent shirtless post, it is McClenaghan who is going home with the gold.
Pummeling his pommel horse routine as the last competitor for the US Men’s Olympic Gymnastics team event, which ultimately resulted in their medal, Stephen Nedoroscik won the hearts and admiration of millions for his Clark Kent/Superman transformation on the Olympics stage. He’s going for another pommel horse medal today, and he’s already earned this Dazzler of the Day.
Currently making a play for Olympic gold in Paris (notably in the Men’s Tennis Doubles team – see partner Rafael Nadal in his underwear here) this is Carlos Alcaraz. He’s made his own name for himself in tennis, starting his competitive journey when he was just 15 years old – all those years of work and competition are paying off. He also had his own underwear moment, as seen here, which puts the cherries on this Olympic Spotlight sundae.
This Dazzler of the Day is dedicated to Rebecca, who has excellent taste. (See David Beckham.) We promised early on that Paris was bulging, and French diver Jules Bouyer delivers on that promise, based alone on the photos below. Representing his home country, Bouyer is also, fittingly, a model. When you cross male models with Olympic athletes, it’s a guaranteed recipe for the Dazzler of the Day.
Part of Maxim Bouchard’s secret to his success as a 7-time Canadian Diving Champion and former Olympian was coming out as a gay man. He attributes the authenticity and power in proclaiming who he was as a necessary component to excelling at his stellar career. Today he earns the Dazzler of the Day thanks to his inspirational message.
Rene Farias is an artist who has managed to turn the quiet and seemingly insignificant turns of a day into an erotic expiration of beauty and inspiration. Living out his creative endeavors across social media, he produces work that is as scintillating in its finished state as it is in the process of being made. While Farias has the power and talent to make something beautiful of the smaller moments, his work also explores other-worldly creatures and fantasies, letting loose with images of wild hybrids merging man and beast, minotaur and mermaids, and fabled fairies. In some pieces he treats the human body like an architectural structure – a train runs through the tunnels of two human cavities – while in others trios of embracing men with wings find their legs morphing into multiple squid-like arms. A surreal gorgeousness imbues many of his pieces, bending the mind of the viewer as they try to navigate whether what they are in fact seeing is what they think they are seeing. It’s the greatest trick an artist can conjure, and the trickiest display of talent a human can execute. Farias earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to a consistent outpouring of work that makes us think and feel and marvel. Check out his website here.
“I’m cuban artist living in Miami. I like to explore the human eroticism and break taboos and stereotypes. There is no better way to assert ideas than through art. Mermaids, minotaurs, fairies, snakes, butterflies; recurring elements in my work that serve to accentuate the contrast between masculine strength and the fragility and delicacy that nature and mythology offer us. I really hope you enjoy my little piece of the world.” ~ Rene Farias
Smashing world records is one thing, but smashing world records held by Michael Phelps is something altogether spectacular. Léon Marchand is doing just that as he takes to the world stage of the Paris Olympic Games. Representing host country France, Marchand may make his biggest splashes to date as he swims for the gold in the city of the Seine. This morning he earns his first crowning as Dazzler of the Day.
Setting the Olympic Opening Ceremony aflame is Aya Nakamura, who earns her first Dazzler of the Day honor thanks to her pulsating pizzazz and a career of musical brilliance. The French-Malian singer-songwriter is one of the superstars of France, which makes her a fitting musical ambassador to these Olympic Games.
She is one of the classic icons in a world where that distinction is becoming more and more rare. Bette Midler has been thrilling audiences and fans since the 1970’s, when she made a historic splash at the Gay Bathhouses of New York City. It instantly made her an icon for the gay community – and our love for her has never wavered. Since then, she’s made hit movies, had hit albums, and won award after award. She’s conquered every entertainment medium – from television to music to movies to Broadway – and made indelible contributions to each. Honoring her as Dazzler of the Day is not even a blip in her legacy, but it’s all I have to give. She’s also shown a legendary dedication to environmental causes, especially in her beloved New York, where she founded the New York Restoration Project, which aims to clean and restore green spaces in the city.
Long before Theo James slipped his apparatus into the iconic Dolce & Gabbana white Speedo, David Gandy was selling his wares with his sculpted body, and his legendary work as a male model has more than earned this Dazzler of the Day crowning. These days, Gandy has his own line of clothing, and a company and website that was the only one sensitive enough to allow for opting out of Father’s Day messages – something that feels refreshingly caring in a world where not much really matters anymore. Here’s a reminder of what made Gandy so transfixing in the first place – check out his website and clothing line – David Gandy Wellwear – for more brilliance.
A modern-day Renaissance Man, who has gone from baseball player to country music star, Bryan Ruby has had one of the most impressive journeys that any Dazzler of the Day can claim. But as Reading Rainbow used to tell us, you don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s the bio from his website, to which he can now add Dazzler of the Day:
BRYAN RUBY is a rising country music artist and trailblazing professional baseball player based in Nashville, Tennessee. As a songwriter, Bryan has penned songs that have appeared on the Texas Country Top 50 chart and the iTunes Country Top 25 (#16), and songs he has written have been featured on both Huffington Post and People Magazine. As an artist, Bryan won Season 7 of the talent-search competition Nashville Rising Song, and released his debut single“Left Field” in June 2022. The song was featured on The TODAY Show and added to rotation on SiriusXM Country Pride, as well as the Academy of Country Music’s Ultimate Pride Playlist.
With rich vocals and authentic storytelling on follow-up singles “Two For The Road” (August ‘22), “The Standouts” (October ‘22), “Christmas With You” (November ‘22), “Baseball Country” (March ‘23), and “The Standouts (Heroes Version)” feat. Ty Herndon (June ‘23), “Bryan’s introspective and relatable storytelling‘ (The Nash News) and “expressive baritone” (Music Row Magazine) give him a unique calling card in the up-and-coming Nashville country scene.
Bryan made history in September 2021 when he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay at the time. The inspirational story was featured in USA Today as well as 100+ media outlets around the world including CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report and Teen Vogue. He then founded Proud To Be In Baseball, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating, educating, and creating opportunities for the next generation of LGBTQ baseball players. Ruby’s nonprofit work has earned him a spot on Out Magazine’s prestigious Out 100 list, as well as the Rising Star award from the Foundation For Love & Acceptance in Nashville.
“Baseball and country music are part of the fabric of our great country. If there’s one message I hope people hear in my songs, it’s that hard work and heart can carry you through even what the world tells you are insurmountable obstacles. You can earn your place by following your passion, no matter who you are.” — Bryan Ruby
Madonna seems to have been more enamored of Diplo than many of her fans were enamored of her collaborations with him, but that hasn’t dimmed his star or diminished his current standing as Dazzler of the Day. Thanks to his cheeky click-baiting nudity or endless musical joint-ventures, Diplo has been a force in the music industry for over a decade now. His latest collab ‘Midnight Ride’ with Orville Peck (himself no stranger to nakedness) and Kylie Minogue is on heavy rotation in these parts, sending summer into scintillating orbit.
Our road to the Summer Olympics continues with the this crowning of Timo Cavelius as Dazzler of the Day. Representing Germany in judo, Cavelius is the first openly gay athlete to compete in that sport. Trailblazing history is something Cavelius simply takes in stride. Watch for him at the Paris Olympics starting this month.
Back when blogs were a big deal, Andy Towle created one of the most popular and relevant gay blogs the world had ever seen in Towleroad. Prior to that, and going even further back to when magazines ruled the gay landscape as far as getting information and making like-minded connections, Towle was the editor-in-chief of Genre magazine. In both career instances, he pioneered the path for an openly, and at times defiantly, gay existence, providing a means and mechanism for all of us to feel less alone at a time when easy access to other gay people often proved difficult at best. A lot has changed and happened since then, and in recent years Towle has successfully shifted his goals and focus to his painting, which finds happy fruition in a show currently running at Provincetown Commons (with another reception scheduled for this Friday, July 5 for all those in Provincetown for the holiday).
Today he earns his first crowning as Dazzler of the Day thanks to the fascinating journey he has invited us to join over the past two decades. (See more of his work on his website here.)
Clinching the number one position on the men’s gymnastics Olympic team representing the USA, Frederick Richard is crowned as Dazzler of the Day in glorious anticipation of this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, France. Helming our Olympic gymnastics team, Richard has vowed to bring home some medals, even if he’s already proven himself in the past year of competition.
