Hearing the phrase, ‘I’m a male stripper’ may not seem like something you’d hear regularly. But I live in Montreal, a city that is alive with sexual expression. I like to make films about sexuality — how we as a society embrace or are repulsed by it, what some see as artistic expression and others view as pornography, and where the seeds for these often very visceral reactions begin.
A few years ago I started my hesitant transition from on camera (actor, TV host) to behind the camera (director, producer) and have discovered I love interviewing people and following their lives in documentary. My instincts told me to follow my curiosity and in the case of my miniseries I’m a Stripper — that’s hot dudes who have entered the profession of male stripper.
Sometimes being dumb-ass dudes, sometimes being surprisingly emotional and always refreshingly honest.
Jakub Stefano is a male stripper who makes his money webcam modeling in episode 5 of I’m a Stripper.
I’m a Stripper is entertainment but it also delves into a provocative new era of sexual liberation and expression. Living in a post feminist era we are now bombarded with the male form undressed for pleasure, for provocation, and as a catalyst in advertising and media.
So in a world that’s approaching a semblance of gender equality – what’s it like to be a male stripper?
The male stripper costumes at an AMW show are unique but adored by their enthusiastic audiences of women.
I wanted to explore the questions of:
1) Are we reaching equalization in the exploitation of the sexes?
2) How are young men being conditioned to perceive their own bodies, their constructs of masculinity, and the disintegration of labels around sexuality?
Male stripper Gabriel Clark finds balance engaged to a woman but dating men.
‘Boys will be boys’ as the saying goes and we were invited onto a pleasure island while filming I’m a Stripper. As a young twenty-something living in Vancouver, I witnessed several handsome friends suddenly working in the adult industry — either as strippers or in video. I always wondered how much $ was enough for them to say yes to that world and the lifestyle that went with it.
To what extent will a young person push their body, their will, or their sexual preference in order to grab some quick cash?
The answer of course is not easy and the young (and sometimes not so young) men in the profession of male stripper we worked with presented their own set of motivations — everything from lust for dollars, an addiction to attention, or simply loving to dance!
Directing this documentary was such an adventure because I was able to immerse myself outside my comfort zone, grow and be challenged by the experience. There were many times while interviewing when I had to keep my fist planted firmly under my jaw so it wouldn’t fall to the floor.
These guys are shocking, competitive, profane, yet endearing. Like moss — their charm will grow on you as it feeds from you so keep some dollar bills nearby.
I’m a Stripper miniseries is available on all your favorite platforms including Vimeo, Amazon, Google Play and more.