GIO goes Below the Belt with Porn Superstar MICHAEL BRANDON for a revealing and in-depth interview.

On a hot and sultry Saturday morning in Fort Lauderdale, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Brandon in his suite at the fabulous Coconut Cove Guest House for a very revealing and insightful interview with this amazing man. 

GIO      I know you have been down to South Florida quite often.  What keeps you coming back to this area? 

MB       The weather is certainly OK, you know.  I like the people, clubs and all that stuff.  Also the fact that Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Hollywood and West Palm Beach are all so close, you can get a variety when visiting here. 

GIO      Yes, that is the one thing that I love about living here.  Now, let’s go back in your adult career.  I know you started in the mid 80’s, how did you get into the business back then? 

MB       Oh my god (laughing)…  I actually answered an ad in the back of Frontiers Magazine, out of Los Angeles.  I was fresh out of the closet…fresh off the buss…fresh out of being married (to a women)…the ad in the back of the magazine said “XXX models wanted.”  It turned out to be an agent recruiting models named Johnny Johnston.  I called him, went to see him and do an interview, I then took off my clothes and got a hard-on and he sat there shaking his head like this (he nods approvingly) with a big cigar hanging out of his mouth.  He was very old school Hollywood and he said to me (talking in a slow southern drawn accent) “I think I can work with you boy… (Michael laughs as he talks in the accent) and that is how I got my start. 

GIO      Very cool…that was a great story.  So what was the very first thing you did on film?  Was it a solo video? 

MB       Actually the very first movie I ever did was called Ranger Nick, by InHand Video.  We put a tent up in the woods and I fucked the shit out of a hot bottom. 

GIO      Very good and it sounds very hot for a first scene.  I understand there was a period of time in the late 80s where you decided to get out of the business and you took a number of years off.  I read that you were heavily involved in drugs and the party scene back then, spent some time in prison because of it and you are now clean for how many years? 

MB       6 years (with a big smile) 

GIO      Congratulations!  After going through that period of hell, what made you decide to make a comeback to the industry in 2000, what was the turning point for you? 

MB       Well going back to Johnny, the agent that I first went with, he had been keeping tabs on me over the years when I was in and out of prison.  When I remerged back on the scene in LA he contacted me and he started to groom me to take over his business as a casting agent.  One thing led to the next and I started doing movies again and I also started doing escorting.  He was a mentor to me in the beginning and he showed me the ropes and all that stuff.  He was very, ummm…well me being fresh out of the prison system, I was eager and Johnny was going through some of his own personal stuff and I felt he was not being as aggressive as I wanted him to be with my career.  And only because I needed money (laughs)  So I took him out of the loop and I became my own agent, or “Monster” (the name of his penis) became my agent and I started doing a lot of movies and working for everybody under the sun. 

GIO      I read that at one point in your early career you went to Falcon Studios and they actually turned you away because you were so messed up at that point in your life.  After 2000, you went back to Falcon and actually worked for them, how was that experience for you. 

MB       Yes, they told me back then that when I cleaned up to come back.  So I did! Redeeming myself by working for them was a wonderful experience. 

GIO      So now you are part of the Raging Stallion team and work with Chris Ward and the rest of the talented people over there.  How did that all come to be? 

MB       When I took the agent out of the loop I went on www.mannet.com and there is a directory there for all the production companies all over the world.  I cut and pasted all the contact information and I sent my pictures out and stated this is who I am and this is what I do.  Chris Ward at Raging Stallion contacted me and I went in for a meeting.  I shot Sex Pac 6 and Lumberjacks, which was the Falcon film because Chris was directing that line for them.  That started the relationship with Chris and me at Raging Stallion.  He then called me about three weeks later and told me he wanted to feature me in a movie and design a movie around me, so I flew back to San Francisco and we had a meeting and I asked what the title of the movie was going to be.  He stated “We want to call it Terms of Endowment.” (we both laugh).   So I said, sign me up! 

GIO      That is great! 

MB       So at that time there was some financial difficulties with the company and I offered to invest in that project.  I had some money (literally) sitting under my mattress from doing the escorting work and I wanted to do something with that money and I felt this was the right thing to do.  So that is how Terms of Endowment came about.  It turned out the company did not actually need the cold hard cash, rather I invested my appearance by not getting paid up front but rather in the rear (we both laugh at that statement!).  Mr. Scott Donovan…thank you very much!! (he smiles) and that is how I started with the Company.   

GIO      Excellent! 

MB       I fell in love with the company and their model philosophy because of how they treated their models.  It wasn’t about getting the shot, but how can we get the shot with the model and how would the model feel most comfortable doing it.  They really cared about how the models felt and made sure they were OK during the shoot and all that stuff that is important. 

GIO      That is great to hear about Raging Stallion.  So what happened next? 

MB       After we shot Terms of Endowment, Chris and I talked again and he told me that he wanted to start a new video line.  He wanted to do a more gonzo style of fucking, meaning more aggressive to the point of brutality.  Mainly switching out the bottoms and sticking with the same tops in the scenes and he told me that he felt he found his top in me.  So we talked a little more and that is where I took my mattress money out and put it into his hands and that was the creation of Monster Bang. 

GIO      Ahh, that is awesome.  Monster Bang has become very successful, congratulations.  You know I have been covering this industry for a while and I do not think there has been another “Icon” in gay porn such as yourself in many years.  How did you, along with Raging Stallion and Monster Bang turn on the marketing machine that is Michael Brandon?  I mean how big is your team and how much time do you spend marketing? 

MB       Well I have been up since 7am West Coast Time on the laptop until you got here.  So that is already about 5 hours that I have been at it already today.  Basically, Raging Stallion and I are PR whores!  There are four partners in the company and then we have about 6-8 people that help run the day-to-day stuff.  Everything is done in-house except for the duplication of the DVD’s and the actual printing.  Our camera man is on salary; our editor is on salary…we do everything including the design and layout of the box cover. 

GIO      Well you guys are doing an amazing job and I congratulate you on the success.  It is apparent that the entire team has a stake in the ground and your end products reflect the commitment of everyone.  I also have to give you kudos personally!  I communicate via Email with many of the studios and you are the one person that always gets back to me within 24 hours.  With you crazy schedule, I appreciate that very much! 

MB       Wow, thanks for that!  You now know I am always on the computer it seems. 

GIO      Me too!  OK, so we have to talk about “Monster.”  How in the world did your cock get its own name and identity? 

MB       Well as you mentioned earlier, I used to do drugs on a very large scale.  I am now in recovery from that and in the journey of recovery (the twelve step program), I needed to discover some things about myself.  Being a blue eyed, halfway decent looking white boy with a big dick in the gay community; your identity quickly becomes your cock.  At least mine did and my identity was attached to my cock.  Going back a little bit, www.male4maleescorts.com (HooBoy, god rest his sole, I love him) a male escort review site…well the journey of recovery teaches you to look in the mirror and tell yourself you are a good person, like “I love Me” or “I am not such a bad guy.”  Well, I was not there yet at that point and I am still not there yet, not that I feel I am a bad guy…but I just do not look at myself in the mirror and say “I love you” yet.   So, reading the reviews of my clients on this website saying things like “Michael is amazing in bed, he has a large cock, and he is a nice guy.”  One guy stated…”That monster cock of his…” and boom it hit me like a ton of bricks.  It was time for me to take my identity back and give my cock an identity of its own.  So through and escort review, from one of my clients, that is how “Monster” came to be. 

Michael Brandon Dildo – Life Size (read more below)

GIO      Wow, what a fascinating journey you have gone through.  Did you ever contact that client and thank him for helping to create “Monster?” 

MB       I sure did!  Now Monster gets his own Email, his own phone calls…I mean it is amazing how he has taken off.  I mean exactly (He acts like he got a phone call and gestures to his cock)…hello it is for you…(we both laugh loudly).  I will take him and hit him on the phone and stuff…So that is how Monster came about! 

GIO      Well everyone in the industry and I am sure most of the readers of this column know Monster.  However, many people do not know you personally and you mentioned the “nice guy” comment from one of your reviews.  I have known you for a couple years and I can vouch that you are a super nice guy and you offer much more than just what you have Below the Belt. 

MB       Thank you for that Gio. You are also a great guy so it is easy to be nice with you (he smiles) 

GIO      Awww…OK this is not about me, it is all about you! (laughter)  Speaking of you, let’s talk about your website www.xxxMichaelBrandon.com  what can the fans expect if they log onto your website? 

MB       Well as you probably know Gio, it is the winner of the Cybersocket “Best Porn Site” for the past 2 years.  My webmaster and I work very closely together to keep the content fresh and exciting.  What I try to do is take a photographer, either professional or armature, and I feature a gallery of photos by that photographer for the viewers and it is free.  I get the content for my website and the photographer gets the promotion and networking by having his images seen.  Everything on my website is free, unless you go to the Michael Brandon Cinema, where you go to another website featuring my films in streaming format for a fee. My webmaster and I, Geeky Boy is what I call him, are in the process of re-designing the overall look to have a high definition look to it.  It does not have a lot of bells and whistles, but it is very user friendly.

Photos by Kent Taylor courtesy of Raging Stallion Studios & www.xxxmichaelbrandon.com  

GIO      Well as someone who has visited your site, I can tell you it is a very high quality site and easy to navigate.  Speaking about appearance, you are all over the place these days making live appearances.  How often are you on the road? 

MB       Well the last month we, Marcos my lover and I, have been traveling together a ton.  He and I were discussing that this morning actually and we figure we are away from home about 50% out of the month. 

GIO      Are there upsides and downsides to traveling and performing live for you? 

MB       Well I love performing in general, I just love it!  I love performing in front of the camera and I love performing in front of people.  What I love about performing in front of the camera…(ponders) you know I am always nervous as a whore in church, but when that red light comes on, I go into an almost auto pilot and I kind of consider performing live no different than in front of the camera.  For me, the thought that you the fan reading this, is going to be jacking off while watching me 4-6 months down the road when the film is released, is what fuels me.  And when performing live, getting the vibe from the audience drives me.  I used to pull people out of the audience and get off with them.  I do not do that anymore, because I have a lover, but I pull him up on stage with me now and it is just as much fun for me and the crowd (hearty laugh and grin).  I really love seeing people smile and their eyes light up.  Years ago, I used to run Taco-Bells and I am a customer service oriented person.  I just use my body for my customer service now.  Aretha Franklin was blessed with a voice to entertain people and I was blessed with a body and personality to do the same thing! 

GIO      Well you are doing a damn good job at it that is for sure!  Bravo!  Let’s take a moment and talk about your lover Marcos, how long have you been together? 

MB       About a year and a month. 

Michael and Marcos 

GIO      Congrats, every time I have seen you in the last year, you two are together and seem very happy!  Since he is not a porn performer, how have you two balanced your career and having a relationship? 

MB       It was very difficult at first trying to define the boundaries and understanding them.  There had been other boys in my life before, but nothing on the level of Marcos.  With the others, there was no commitment and so there were no issues with my work.  Very quickly Marcos smashed the armored plate around my heart and I had to learn that he was much more than just a boy and it just wasn’t ok to fool around on him.  Meaning I could not just pull people from an audience and fuck them in front of Marcos or at all for that matter like I used to.  So I changed my act up a little and he travels with me now, so I pull him from the audience and it is just as much fun…if not more fun!   

So now even when I am doing a movie and it comes to doing the cum shot, I picture his big green eyes and I shoot a big load thinking of him.  It has been an interesting balance for me and him to figure out.  I let go of the escorting out of respect and love toward my relationship with him.  I did not want to be escorting after 40 years of age anyway.  So the Universe brought Marcos into my life and I am thankful for that.  If he wasn’t in my life, would I be escorting today?  Probably, because of the finances of it all.  When I gave up escorting I had to readjust all my finances.  I mean I used to be able to pay credit card bills and stuff all at once, now he and I budget because that cash flow stopped.  But together we do very well with our joined income; not nearly as well as I used to, but that is ok with me because of the love I have for him. 

GIO      I am getting a sense from you that all the changes you have made are all worth it to you though… 

MB       Absolutely!  You know you mentioned earlier that I am one of the most loved and respected people in this industry, but when I would go home at night and walk through my door I was probably the loneliest as well.  Now I am not lonely. 

GIO      That is great to hear (we both smile). 

MB       Some of my fans and even some of my friends are really not ok with the fact that I am in a relationship now.  For some reason they feel I have given up too much of Michael Brandon. 

GIO      I would disagree with those people, as you are clearly happy in your life now and you have evolved as a person.  You are still an amazing performer and everyone deserves happiness in life.  As someone who has been in a committed relationship for over 12 years, I can say it is not easy and I can assure you that even with the struggles you will face it is all worth it.  After all, love is not easy! 

MB       (Laughing) I hear you! I appreciate that Gio.  I mean it was a struggle for me as I am a sex machine and I had to learn the boundaries.  At first I did not know there were boundaries.  At the beginning I flew him from LA to be with me at a shoot and he came in the green room and there I was getting my cock sucked, that was not OK for him.  After all I flew him to be with me and anything off camera should be with him, I had to learn that.  Those are lessons that I had to learn and obstacles that we had to overcome together.  But he is wonderful and all worth it. 

GIO      Obviously he is a great guy to stand by you through that early phase of the relationship. 

MB       There were a couple occasions where I wanted to walk away from him at the beginning because I felt I was not the man for him.  He just told me that I was the man for him and he stood by me as I struggled.  We just had to learn together how to get along and make it work. 

GIO      Well communication is the key!  Well speaking about performing live.  You are here for the Raging Stallion Porn Star Contest being held at Jackhammer Bar.  Is this the first time that the studio has done a contest like this? 

Michael with contestants at Jackhammer Bar 

MB       Yes, at this level.  Jackhammer came to us and proposed to do a summer long contest and I would come for the finale and pick the winner.  We thought it was a great idea and from what I see of the contestants that won the preliminary rounds, it has been successful.   I am very pleased with what I have seen thus far and because of Jackhammer I am now speaking with other venues, like bathhouses to do another contest, like “Mr. Club.”  I was just in West Virginia last weekend and because of the University crowd, they have a younger audience and I am able to take what Jackhammer brought to us and do a similar contest there to get other styles of models. 

Russel and Chris of Jackhammer with Michael Brandon 

GIO      That is awesome.  I agree that you have a nice group of people to judge tonight as I have been covering the summer preliminaries. 

MB       I am looking forward to selecting a great guy to come to San Francisco with us for the shoot. 

GIO      If I were to ask your two closest friends what your best asset would be, what would they tell me? 

MB       You know…I do not know anymore.  Because the two people that I would want you to ask that question to I am not as close to anymore.  Seven or eight months ago, they would have said loyalty.  But now…they are not supportive of my relationship and feel that I have given up too much to be in it.  They are not supportive and that is one of the sad aspects of my life.  Instead of them growing with me, they have become distant.  You know change is rough and they have seen me go through change to have this relationship.  They have seen the tug-o-war between Marcos and I and the volatile aspects of our relationship and they do not understand our relationship has moved past that period and is not like it was at the beginning.  So instead of them sticking by us through our relationship, they have pushed back and I have had to disassociate myself with them.  So, I really do not have an answer for your question. 

GIO      That is tough and I totally understand how difficult it can be with existing friends when you get into a relationship and the dynamics of those friendships either change and grow or they move on.  What would you consider is your best attribute today? 

MB       Ummmm… I am very loyal to whatever is going on.  I am gracious and a very hard worker and I am a very nice guy.   

GIO      If you could give advice to anyone wanting to get into this business what would you tell them? 

MB       Understand that your image is the storefront and what you project out there on both a physical and mental level is under your control.  You need to understand that this is a business and you need to treat it as a business.  It is your face, your image and the way you act that is your storefront. 

GIO      Do you recommend having an agent? 

MB       Yes, when starting out an agent is very helpful in pointing you in the right directions.  Because of the internet, it is easier for models to self promote, like I did with ManNet.com after I left my agent.  For me, my career really took off when I took a hold of my image on my own.  That worked for me, it does not mean it will work for everyone.  So agents are good for some and others can do well without one. 

GIO      That is a very fair answer.  How about some fun questions…Boxers or briefs?

MB       Briefs.  Because I hang too low and it starts crawling around if I do not control the Monster. (Laughs) 

GIO      (Laughing) Dogs or Cats? 

MB       You know…before Marcos that would be dogs because I am allergic to cats.  But Marcos came with a cat and through modern medicine I am able to live with a cat and he has become a very big part of our relationship.  So now I have to say cats because I love her and having her come up and love on me. 

GIO      Thank god for Claritin!   Have you ever done drag? 

MB       I have, yes.  My female impersonation name was Crystal.  That was back in my drug days when I used to sell Crystal and thus the name.  I had long flowing hair and big tits (laughing).  I am very glad that I chose the porn star route rather than the drag queen route, because it is a lot of work.  Not that being a porn star is not a lot of work, it is just different.  You know it does amaze me at how much fucking work it takes to be a successful porn star and many people do not know that. 

GIO      Lights on or off? 

MB       Ummm…Candles. 

GIO      Oooo, that is better!  A romantic… 

MB       Yeah I can be.  You know it is just not the sex part either.  One of the most romantic feelings I get with Marcos is when we are at home and our laptops are side-by-side and we are working and the monitors are touching each other.  So we can look up from work and see each other and make eye contact that is very romantic to me.  It sounds cheesy and sappy, but it really is romantic for me. 

GIO      How funny, my partner and I share a home office and work near each other as well and you are right, it can be romantic. 

MB       I love that!  So you know!   

GIO      Do you have one unfulfilled fantasy in your life? 

MB       Well now that Marcos is in my life, the realm of fantasy is so much larger.  I would love to take him on a Caribbean cruise and show him things he has not seen before.  So there is a whole other level of possibilities to share with each other. 

GIO      What is new and exciting coming from Monster Bang or Raging Stallion?

MB       Thanks for asking.  I have a new film coming out that I just finished            shooting at our location up north in Sonoma County called Hard as Wood.        It will be released sometime in the middle of October.  It is all shot             outdoors in the country with camp fire scenes and great rugged sex.  We        are introducing a new exclusive Francois Sagat and he is on the box     cover,    and Joey Russo is in it

For a free preview of this video visit:  http://www.monsterbang.com/hardwood.html  

GIO      Wow, Joey Russo.  He has not done anything in a while. 

MB       We have him is several projects coming up.  This is an awesome movie and it just got out of editing and the scenes are hot.