Favorite Pic of the Day for February 17th

Above:
It's Thursday!

Happy Birthday today February 17th to:

Happy Birthday today, February 17th to:

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt who turns 30 today.





Derrick Hayes turns 31 today.




Jerry O'Connell who turns 37 today.




Dominic Purcell turns 41 today.

Also Celebrating today February 17th

Also celebrating today February 17th

Rugby's Romain Collinet turns 30 today.




Jason Ritter, shown here in 'The Education of Charlie Banks' turns 31 today.





Philippe Candeloro turns 39 today.



Jeremy Edwards turns 40 today.





Lou Diamond Phillips turns 48 today.

Brandon Ruckdashel: First Exposure

Last Summer I posted about Brandon Ruckdashel's new play 'Exposure'. After months of hard work, casting is complete, and this Friday, the 18th, Corine Cohen Presents a Private Reading Of Exposure. Although I cannot make the reading, I will provide a full report on the evening!.

Here is my previous profile, with some updated shots of the new cast!



"That's the spirit Paul. You walk this path and you walk a fine line between sanity, safety and morality, but you're already halfway there with this show. So what's one more step down the path of life?"
-Jerry to Paul in Exposure-

Regular readers of FH know one of my favorite guys is actor Brandon Ruckdashel. Besides being one of the kindest guys, Brandon is one of the most talented. Brandon has achieved success and acclaim for his work as an actor and singer on stage, on television and on film. Brandon has also spent time the last couple of years honing hi skills as a photographer. Several times this past year when I was researching a model I was pleasantly surprised to see Brandon as the photographer.

Over the past year and half Brandon has been working on another project, a more personal one. Writing is not new to Brandon, he is a song writer and has written in the past, but his new play 'Exposure' is his first full play.



Exposure:
Exposure is a play about a young actor (Paul) who breaks up with his girlfriend (Tara) to pursue his dreams in Hollywood. Along the way he lives with a stripper (Tonya) and takes a boyfriend (Tim) all while under the guiding hand of his agent (Jerry). Exposure is both about the entertainment business and what an actor is willing to do as he lives his dreams.

Brandon says Exposure is the honest Hollywood story. "It's about all those things that happen that ENTOURAGE doesn't talk about. I decided to write this show because no one was writing anything like it and I'm fairly certain that my story is not unlike many other young actors who move to Hollywood. They dream big and try to survive any way they can." The events that happen within the play all happened within the first six months of Brandon's move to California. Exposure is a personal narrative, and although there are similarities between Brandon and Paul, it is not exactly biographical.



"I started writing EXPOSURE when I went on hiatus from Co-Ed Confidential season 3. Originally there were more characters, more scenes, more everything, but over the course of the writing process I've really spent the most time on focusing the story. A play can't be about everything and I think it's a trap many writers fall too easily into. They think "More More More" instead of "Less Less Less." My greatest influences on the structure were Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" and of course my favorite cult film "Fight Club." Over the course of three relationships Paul learns about himself and what he wants, needs, and is willing to do for success. Throughout this arc he is tormented, teased, and at times has very honest conversations with an agent character (JERRY) he's created in his head."
-Brandon Ruckdashel-


Above:
Michael Paul Carr, Timothy Ryan

Having read 'Exposure' I can attest to Brandon's talent as a writer. Exposure is a character driven play which explores systemically not just the highs, but the lows of making it in show business. It's toll on relationships not to mention ones mental well being. Most of us watch from a distance the success stories, the actors working. Although there have been stories of 'making it' in the business (think Fame), rarely does Hollywood allow us to see the dark side, the pain, the broken relationships which occur on the journey to stardom.

Exposure: The Play by Brandon Ruckdashel
Website:
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Brandon Ruckdashel:
Website:
Facebook:
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Above: Brandon with the cast; Timothy Ryan, Leslie Nicole Phiips, Michael Paul Carr, Benedita Pereira & Marc Sinoway.

His Equipment: Michael Hnida by Marlen Boro

Michael Hnida:

One of the Gentlemen Of Marlen Boro

If your a regular reader of FH you know there is a general flow I use to present the work of a model or a photographer. I like to start with a head shot. I do this as despite the fact that I showcase beautiful men, I personally have no interest in a great body unless it is attached to an interesting or beautiful face. I usually follow with fashion shots, jeans, shirtless and then underwear. Then...if the model has posed nude, I end with one or two of those shots.

I formulate my posts this way for many reasons, some obvious, some more personal. I want to introduce a talent, a skill, not just a body. The talent, either a photographer, a model or an actor. I find that if I start with a nude or incorporate too many within a post, whatever text or information I share about the artist gets lost or overshadowed. Now...many of you might wish I just 'cut to the chase' but I would also bet many of you who return here day after day have the same sensibilities on the subject as I do. If not, there are many other sites and blogs you could visit that devote themselves to just posting pictures without the hassle of the reading my words around them.

With Marlen Boro's work with 28 year old Michael Hnida it somehow felt right switch it up a bit. The first photo that I saw of Michael was the shot directly below. All I saw was his beautiful back, and backside, holding the baseball bat. A few weeks ago when Marlen and I were planning which shoot to showcase next, I asked to see more of the guy with the bat. One of the themes was obviously showcasing Michael with various pieces of sports equipment. There were also many shots where Michael's face was either obscured by the tennis rackets or t shirts. These shots created a sense of mystery about Michael that led me to want to reverse somewhat the way I generally layout a post or profile.

Minnesota's Michael Hnida, describes himself as a graphic designer, model, photographer, and advertising consultant.

'I'm really just a go with the flow type of guy who just loves to see what’s next for me in life. I must say that I’ve had a pretty interesting journey thus far. I always wanted to be a graphic designer so I pursued that career after high school.'



It was near the end of Michael's time in college that he first developed an interest in modeling. Michael says that modeling was never going to be a career, but he was drawn to the the fun and fantasy that was involved in the process. The majority of his modeling has been with local photographers assisting them in building their portfolios.

'Currently I’m working as a graphic designer and photographer for LAVENDER Magazine, which is a local GLBT publication in Minnesota. I can only describe my job to be like the show “Just Shoot Me”. My co-workers say I’m the Nina Van Horn of the office... a model and free-spirited wild child! I guess that’s a compliment. And, I have to say that my life, friends, and experiences are things you would only see on TV.'

'It’s because of my job at the magazine that I got into photography. I do most of the fashion editorials for the magazine. Some are good, and some not so much. I have to do it all from pulling clothes, to finding models, locations to shoot, actually shooting it, and then editing the photos. That’s a lot of work for one person, but I love to do it. Sometimes I even have to do the makeup too.'

'If you’re a person who takes your sweet ass time as you cross the road when I have a green light, I hate you. Some hustle is all I ask.'

The green light currently flashing in front of Michael is photography. The fun and fantasy Michael finds within his modeling is now something he is eager to incorporate into shooting images of his own. You can check out Michael's work as a photographer on his site: Mike Hnida Design & Photography HERE:

'Working with Marlen on my shoot was extremely relaxing and casual, but also very fun. Knowing that I also do photography it was fun to bounce some of my ideas off of him, and he was very receptive to hear and incorporate them in our shoot. I’m looking forward to shooting with him again soon.'
Michael Hnida

'Mike brought athletic gear and several pairs of tiny tiny underwear. I suggested that even though they were already tight, they could hold a few more balls. A good sport, Mike agreed.'

Marlen Boro

Check out more of Michael on Model Mayhem HERE:

MARLEN BORO