HomoQuotable - Matt Sanchez

"I'm honored WorldNetDaily.com has asked me to be a part of such a respectable organization. WorldNetDaily has some of the most talented people I've had the privilege of working with in the media since arriving in Iraq earlier this year." - Gay porn star, prostitute, serial man-rimmer and right-wing darling Matt Sanchez, announcing that he has joined the writing staff of WingNutDaily. Sanchez is also a correspondent for Pajamas Media and RightWingNews.com.

He's sucking his way to the top!
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Page Six Outs Porn Actor

In a seemingly pointless move, the New York Post's Page Six gossip column has outed an employee of the Israeli consulate at the United Nations as a gay porn actor, after tricking administrative worker Dror Barak into revealing his sideline career as a "model" and budding porn actor. Although Barak specified that he did not escort, he did solicit a plane ticket from Page Six's source. Page Six then called Barak at the U.N., asking to speak to "Roman Ragazzi", Barak's porn handle. Barak immediately resigned his position with the Israeli consulate. Page Six published the exchange today, including revealing Barak's BigMuscle.com profile name.

To my knowledge, Barak, who says he is openly gay, had not aligned himself with the right-wing or otherwise committed an offense worthy of this public revelation. Many men in the porn/sex worker industries maintain "normal" day jobs. Unlike the Matt Sanchez situation, there appears to be no hypocrisy exposed here, just an evil, purposeless wrecking of somebody's day job. While acting in gay porn certainly means that one must expect a certain level of public attention, I can't understand Page Six's motivation.

RELATED: Former journalist Charles Wilson has launched an exhaustive site, Cpl. Matt Sanchez, USMC, which contains a comprehensive accounting of the Sanchez story, complete with biography, filmography, and a time line of Sanchez' post-enlistment escorting career.
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Sanchez Investigated By USMC

I promised that I wouldn't write about Matt Sanchez anymore, but I've gotten 50 or so emails in the last 24 hours, wondering why I haven't commented on the USMC investigating him for wrongfully soliciting "deployment funds". From yesterday's Marine Corps Times:

The Corps on Friday was slated to wrap up an investigation into allegations that a corporal in the Individual Ready Reserve who appeared in gay porn films before enlisting solicited more than $12,000 from private organizations by asking them to fund a deployment to Iraq he never made, according to e-mails from the investigating officer forwarded to Marine Corps Times.

Reserve Col. Charles Jones, a staff judge advocate called to Marine Corps Mobilization Command in Kansas City, Mo., on temporary orders that expire Saturday, informed Reserve Cpl. Matt Sanchez of the allegations against him in a March 22 e-mail that advised Sanchez of his rights.

Jones wrote that Sanchez’s participation in porn films was part of the investigation, but that two of the three allegations against him involved lying “to various people, including but not limited to, representatives of the New York City United War Veterans Council and U-Haul Corporation” about deploying to Iraq at the commandant’s request.

“Specifically, you wrongfully solicited funds to support your purported deployment to Iraq” by coordinating a $300 payment from the UWVC and $12,000 from U-Haul, Jones wrote.

In an interview Thursday with Marine Corps Times, Sanchez said the fund-raising allegations are “demonstrably false” and that he never collected money from either organization.

I am so glad that Sanchez says he's "not gay". Even though he says in a Radar interview today that he has enjoyed sex with men, we should be thankful that he is not claiming us. Very thankful.

Facts Evasion

Here are the audio clips of Matt Sanchez' appearance on the Michelangelo Signorile Show today, thoughtfully broken into 4 topics by Sirius producer David Guggenheim. (Thanks, David!) As those who listened live have already commented in the post below, Sanchez was annoyingly evasive during Signorile's questioning, often responding to a question with a question. Signorile was led in circles for most of the interview, getting Sanchez to at least declare that he is not gay, never was, and that he willed himself into erections during all that man-fucking. Set your bullshit detectors on high.

Sanchez on DADT: Stream. Download.
Sanchez on his porn career: Stream. Download.
Sanchez on his sexuality: Stream. Download.
Sanchez on gay bloggers: Stream. Download.

And with this, we are hopefully done with Mr. Sanchez. As Signorile said on-air after Sanchez left the studio, the right-wing is probably puking right now that they ever lionized Matt Sanchez. And I don't see him winning any HRC visibility awards real soon. Signorile also said that Sanchez told him off-air that he'd "heard" from the Marine Corps and they told him not to worry about getting kicked out. Anybody buying that?

UPDATE: Sirius has provided me with the unedited interview. Stream. Download.
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Sanchez On Signorile

Tune into Sirius OutQ at 4:30pm today, when Matt Sanchez will appear on the Michelangelo Signorile Show. As most of you may know, Signorile is largely credited with popularizing the term "outing", when his short-lived OutWeek Magazine ('89-'91) outed celebrities such as David Geffen for remaining silent on gay rights. It will be interesting to see how Signorile handles Sanchez. You can listen to the show online for free if you register for a 3-day trial.

And click over to AMERICAblog and listen, as Sanchez appears on the Alan Colmes radio show to say that he is "absolutely not gay". On the show, Sanchez denies that an escort ad in a 2004 issue of the NY Blade is him. Colmes then points out that the phone number in the ad is the same one he used to contact Sanchez for the interview. Oops. The fundies are rushing to embrace Sanchez, yesterday wingnut Kevin McCullough published a supportive post decrying how "diabolical liberals are once again showing their disdain for homosexuals, and their lack of love for those who struggle with sexual sin." Oy vey.
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It Begins

From today's Marine Corps Times:

A Reserve corporal whose star has been rising in conservative circles over the past few months — including appearing on Fox News and being photographed with right-wing firebrand Ann Coulter — has acknowledged appearing in gay porn films.

Cpl. Matthew Sanchez, 36, now a member of the Individual Ready Reserve, has made national headlines since, as a student at Columbia University, he stood up to war protesters who publicly vilified him for his military service while administrators there refused to intervene, citing freedom of speech.

(snip)

Sanchez also appeared at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington where he was photographed with his arm around Coulter, who caused a stir when she gave a speech at the conference in which she slammed Democratic presidential contender John Edwards using a vulgar word for a gay man.

On March 6, four days after Coulter’s comment, homosexual blogger Joe.My.God. published the picture of Coulter and Sanchez and alleged that Sanchez had spent the mid ’90s acting in gay porn films such as “Man to Men” under the screen names Rod Majors and Pierre LaBranche.

(snip)

While Sanchez says he has put his gay porn past behind him, the Marine Corps hasn’t. Homosexual behavior is prohibited by an article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that forbids “sodomy.”

As a member of the IRR, Sanchez falls under the authority of Marine Corps Mobilization Command in Kansas City, Mo., where the commanding general’s staff judge advocate, Lt. Col. Michael Blessing, has begun an inquiry into the revelations about his past, according to command spokesman Shane Darbonne.

“We’re looking into it and we’re going to verify facts and determine if any further action is warranted,” Darbonne said.

As of Friday afternoon, officials at Marine Forces Reserve in New Orleans were unable to confirm whether Sanchez had enlisted prior to the end of his film career or if Reserve Marines were prohibited from doing porn when not in a drilling status. Sanchez has not returned phone calls seeking comment. He joined the Corps May 14, 2003 and is a refrigeration mechanic.

On Friday Officials at Marine Corps Recruiting Command were unable to say whether past participation in gay porn disqualifies a potential enlistee because it was unclear how the current “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy might apply.

Believe it or not, I don't feel great about this. Not one bit.
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Task Force Comes Out For Sanchez

The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force has issued a statement of support for Matt Sanchez, which reads in part:

Porn, gay or straight, has no ideology. Porn stars and porn consumers are Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, atheists and evangelicals. There's no inherent contradiction between Matt Sanchez being pro-military and being part of the adult film industry. The real hypocrisy expresses itself in two different and important ways. First, the failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law requires Matt Sanchez and thousands of other loyal Americans to hide their sexual orientation to serve their country in the military. Second, Ann Coulter and her ilk lift a man to hero and spokesperson status until "gasp!" he is found out to be a "faggot" (Coulter's word).- Matt Forman, Executive Director.

I agree. Where Sanchez' hypocrisy lies is in his allegiance to the very people who would like to keep gay Americans second-class citizens, even though his livelihood came at the very hands (ahem) of the gay Americans who gobbled up his cock, on screen and in person. THAT is where the hypocrisy lies, not in his conservatism per se, his porn career, or his military service. I am very pro-porn and pro-sex workers. My issue is when they take gay money with one hand and diddle Ann Coulter with the other.

Read the full NGLTF statement in full at AMERICAblog.
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"Semper Fi, Matt"

Some of you have probably seen last's night MSNBC Countdown, where the Sanchez story was #1. Today Matt Sanchez has posted a letter on Salon.
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Matt Sanchez Responds, Sort Of

NEW VISITORS: The first Matt Sanchez post is here.

Yesterday, I emailed Matt Sanchez nine questions. This morning he gave me a very brief response to some of the questions, to which I asked for clarification and elaboration. As of 5pm, I haven't heard back. The last three questions were sent to Matt in a second email yesterday, which he asked that I resend this morning. Those remain unanswered. As I'm sure most of you will be, I'm somewhat disappointed with a few of the answers. I've waited all day, hoping for some elaboration on the responses, but rather than continue to make you folks wait any longer, here they are.

UPDATE: Sanchez has emailed me elaboration on some of the first questions and has answered the final three. I've added the new responses below.

JMG: Thanks for agreeing to the interview, Matt. First of all, can we get some background on your life leading up to joining the Marines and being accepted at Columbia?

SANCHEZ: Tons of stuff, where to begin?

JMG: Why did you leave the porn industry, where you were so successful?

SANCHEZ: Give me a break Joe, we both know that industry is poisonous. The sad part of this whole controversy, is that if your readers had heard that I had died of a drug overdose or some STD, they probably would have written a lot of nice comments, but no one would have been surprised.

JMG: Do you consider yourself gay?

SANCHEZ: Boyfriends: 0 Fiance: 2 Wife: 1. I'd say I'm pretty bad at being gay.

JMG: What do you think of Ann Coulter, especially regarding her "faggot" remark at CPAC? What did Ann say to you?

SANCHEZ: I, personally wouldn't have used the word faggot in public like that. That said, Ann made a joke and that's just what she does. I wouldn't want her right to speak breeched in any way. The complaints from all these pissed off people is hilarious. I know Ann gets a kick out of being a provocateur, and these hissyfits will probably figure in her next article.

JMG: What do you think will be the fallout from this revelation about your past?

SANCHEZ: I'll be relieved. I've moved forward a lot and this past stuff is not something I want to drag into my future. I'll be able to address these issues seriously and with some authority. All in all, it will be positive. MORE: I'm certain I'll take my lumps for a while. It's been a great distraction, as I'm currently studying for midterms, but I believe in the end I'll be just fine. Most of the responses I've seen on your site have been fairly crude and stereotypically radical. But in my reality, the people around me including the many conservatives I've met this weekend have been extremely kind and supportive. They want me to get my word out right away and not let the "other side" frame the conversation. I've also been contacted with people who have similar episodes in their life. People like Rich Merritt a have been extremely helpful.

JMG: Tell me about your forthcoming book.

SANCHEZ: Not yet. MORE: I've got to keep that one under wraps for the moment. You know how it is, you're writing a book. I just don't want to emotionally charge my project with all this melodrama. I want a well thought-out and well crafted piece I won't be embarrassed to show, because the Kristen Bjorn stuff is embarrassing enough.

As noted above, the next 3 questions were in a second email which Sanchez asked me to resend this morning. No response, as yet.

JMG: Do you know Jeff Gannon? Have you ever worked together or socialized at political functions? As escorts?

SANCHEZ: Nope, nope, and nope. I did get an e-mail from Jeff Gannon and I constantly hear the comparison between him and myself. Frankly, I don't think it's the same. I would be more like Rich Merritt, although, from what I understand, he's a flaming liberal. It's funny you ask this question. There's something about the beleaguered gay psyche that wants to prove to the world that everyone is just as messed up as they are. So, they start off with the term hypocrite and work their way backwards looking for signs of deviant behavior in hopes of discovering some type of bastard kinship. That's why I've had the term self-loathing thrown at me so often. The gay community eats its own in a frenzied hope of self-serving fulfillment.

JMG: Are you a registered Republican? Have you donated time or money to the GOP or any Republican candidate?

SANCHEZ: I'm a registered Republican, although I will admit that I voted for Hilary the first time around at Senate, following 9/11. I have donated money and time. There's a Ric Santorum pic running around somewhere, I'm sure your little elves will find it at some point.

JMG: Have you ever visited The White House?

SANCHEZ: No, I have never visited the White House, although I've seen it from the outside. Does that count? Weren't there escorts there during the Clinton administration?

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UPDATE: I've been contacted by an MSNBC segment producer for Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann, who will be covering the Matt Sanchez story tonight at 8PM.
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Sanchez & Gingrich

[Image removed at request of photographer.]

From an anonymous emailer: Matt Sanchez meeting with possible 2008 presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. No further details available.

Jeff Gannon Redux

If you are familiar with Cpl. Matt Sanchez, you probably know him as the handsome 36-year old Columbia University junior and USMC reservist who recently made the rounds of right-wing talk shows like O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes, where he received praise for coming forward and complaining about his treatment at the hands of Columbia's "radical anti-military students" who called him names and mocked his military service. Sanchez was then feted at the CPAC conference where Ann Coulter made her "faggot" remark. Sanchez wrote an op-ed piece on the Columbia experience for the NY Post and began a blog and MySpace page chronicling his media exposure.

Now, if you're like me, you might think, "Hmm, 36 years old and he's a junior in college and only a corporal in the Marines?" Odd, but not totally implausible. But Sanchez' face tinkled a few gay bells out there in fairyland, and last night I began to get emails letting me know that his rather late appearance on the Ivy League scene was because Sanchez has had a lengthy career in gay porn, working under the names Rod Majors (NSFW) and Pierre LaBranche, starring in such art films as Jawbreaker, Donkey Dick, and Glory Holes Of Fame 3, where his "11-inch uncut monster cock" earned him a devoted following.

Now, porn stars are entitled to enter the miliary, although Sanchez obviously had to do it on the downlow. Porn stars are entitled to have a right-wing ideology, even though the very people he supports would love to see gay porn stars strung up by the nuts. (Wait, have I seen that movie?) But, Oh.The.Irony. of Sanchez appearing with Bill O'Reilly who only a couple of days went apoplectic over San Francisco's "Colt Studio Day." And OH, the irony of Ann "Faggot" Coulter happily posing with Sanchez for a photo-op. The right-wing has gobbled this porn hunk up with a spoon, never knowing that tons of men have gobbled up his monster cock ON FILM. I love it, I love it, I love it.

Thanks to those that tipped me to this story. In particular, please visit the blog of Tom Bacchus, who has written a thoroughly hilarious post on Matt Sanchez/Rod Majors/Pierre LaBranche, with many totally NSFW photos. Now let's all watch how Coulter, Malkin, O'Reilly, etc try and spin THIS one. This is gonna be good.

UPDATE: Sanchez also writes Amazon reviews under his own name, where he plugs a book called Facercise, which he credits for changing his appearance. Here's a 1998 interview he did for porn studio Kristen Bjorn.

UPDATE II: Sanchez appears to have commented on this post, below. I emailed him an interview request and he's agreed. Stand by.

UPDATE III: I just had a 35-minute phone call with Matt Sanchez, in which he was very candid and friendly. We spoke about a wide-range of topics: freedom of speech at Columbia, the Marine Corps, the gay porn industry, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Chi Chi Larue, his upcoming book and the CPAC conference. Matt has promised to respond via email to the set of questions that I sent him, and I will post his responses unedited tomorrow. If his responses are as candid and thought-provoking as our conversation, it should prove fascinating. Sanchez is no dumb bunny.

UPDATE IV: Email from Sanchez @ 4:21pm: "Wow, who knew a little award and a couple of pictures would get me all this attention? Death threats, hate mail and plenty of strangers who want to be my "friend"--and it's not even 4 pm!!! I'm going to be writing a piece and posting it on this site by tomorrow. You'll forgive me for the delay, but between this week's midterms, my full-time job and working out at the gym, there's just not enough time in the day." Same message on his blog, Cpl. Matt Sanchez, plus a pic of Coulter.

UPDATE V: I have interviewed Matt Sanchez here.

Bloggers reacting to this post: Advocate, Bay Area Reporter, Gay.com, AMERICAblog, Think Progress, Max Blumenthal, FireDogLake, Post Modern Barney, Mixter's Mix, Pam's House Blend, Balls And Walnuts, World-O-Crap, Buzz Flash, Unscrewing, Gay Patriot, AlterNet, Democratic Underground, Shakespeare's Sister, Salon, Huffington Post, This Modern World, Atrios, Michelle Malkin Is An Idiot, Michelle Malkin, Citizen Crain, Say Anything, Towleroad, Gawker, Queerty, Daily Kos, Fleshbot (NSFW) , Jockohomo, Mercury Rising, Liberaltopia, Emboldened, All Spin Zone, The Right's Field, Queer Sighted, Boy Culture, Stranger Slog, Michael Petrelis, Pink Dome, Gay.com....and many more.