Vancouver’s Next Gay Top Model 2009, the Terry Costa Experience and photos by Melissa Dinsdale

Maybe you’ve seen a couple of these around town recently?

Here are the facts: Vancouver’s Next Top Gay Model is back for another season and on Sunday, January 18, this year’s hopefuls came down to Celebrities to toss their name in the ring. Up for grabs so far:

  • a 2-yr modeling agency contract with I Model Management;
  • partnerships with Sweat Under Gear, Nancy Black, Miriam Melanson, the Flaming Angels Boutique and Otter Fashion;
  • a trip to WinterPRIDE in Whistler; and
  • the opportunity to be judged by me.

Sure that last “prize” sounds crappy at first, but really, you should be that mothereffin’ lucky. I, of course, am happy that I’ve finally been given a chance to use my judgementotality/mad judging skills for the power of good, rather than for the forces of darkness, as I usually do.

So my buddy Rob called me Judge Judy the other day. What are you going to do about?

Heads up: all the following photos are by Melissa Dinsdale – check out her work here: http://melissa.mtbin.com

The competion on Sunday started off strong, with Terry Costa explaining what’s expected out of the contestants and a visit from Mark Edwards, who went far in last year’s competition and has since been signed to an agency:


L-to-R: Terry Costa, Mark Edwards threatening “Keep It Sexy…or else!”

Micah Gilbert and Tyrone McPherson, who also competed last year, also made appearances.

And since I know you’re all wondering what the first day of a competition like this entails, it’s sort of a model boot camp: walk-offs, two-point posing at the end of a catwalk, an abs class, an underwear romp and, of course, the requisite ticklefight followed by a sexy party and some champagne. Some of those things really happened. Others happened while I was daydreaming.

There were also a couple repeat try outs from last year, one of whom admitted to losing 52 lbs to prepare for the 2009 season. This year’s hopefuls also featured a gymnast, a welder, a landed immigrant…you get the idea. I sort of felt like I was in a reality show for “Making the Village People: 2009”.


Terry Costa (left) explains how useful it is to have Zoolander’s ‘Blue Steel’ look perfected, “to be used in modeling emergencies only!”


I like this photo because it looks like the contestant fourth in from the right is doing some inappropriate touching...and the guy fifth in from the right IS LOVING IT

 

Here are an assortment of judges, my new Xtra! co-hort Malcom, PR-pro/Vancouver socialite Idris Hudson and his entourage, and some other people who didn’t give me their business cards. I agree that P is for Porn buddy – you went there. UGHN!

And here’s me using my judging superpowers for good:


Sean Horlor thinking: Why did that last contestant blantantly stuff his underwear with what appears to be a hotdog bun, and more importantly, why does he think we can’t tell?

Come join us Sunday night – my good friend Marty Funkhauser is spinning and you’ll get to see who gets to be this year’s finalists:

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