Coverboy Interview section: Metro Weekly magazine, Washington, DC newspaper

Coverboy: Eugene

The self-assured social butterfly

Published on May 21, 2012, 2:59am

Anyone hoping to catch the attention of Eugene is going to have to come equipped with sharp wit, an encyclopedic knowledge of current events and a strong sales pitch. The 22-year-old Baltimore resident and New Jersey native loves intellectual conversation, but is often short on time as he tries to balance work and school, where he's pursuing a master's degree in communications. A self-described ''social butterfly,'' Eugene comes from a loud, boisterous Irish-Puerto Rican family. ''I'm eccentric,'' he says. ''I ...[more]

Coverboy: Brandon

Hard worker seeking success

Published on May 4, 2012, 1:46pm

Resilience, hard work and independence are values prized by 24-year-old Brandon. The native Marylander earns his keep as an office administrator for the federal government by day and as a contractor with a custodial company by night. It's a work ethic he's embraced since his teenage years, when he set out on his own. He takes his inspiration from his mother and grandmother, both single parents. ''They've encouraged me to be an independent person, to always work hard, and not ...[more]

Coverboy: Mark

Free spirit with a zest for life

Published on April 28, 2012, 9:16am

A childhood accident nearly claimed Mark's life. It also shaped his worldview. When he was six, he fell out of a boat and was about to be sucked into the propeller just as his mother saved him and pulled him to safety. Consequently, the Annapolis-area native emerged from that experience with very close family ties, a realization that life is short and a thirst for adventure, living every day as if it were his last. ''I like being spontaneous, not ...[more]

Coverboy: Dustin

Coloring outside the lines

Published on April 22, 2012, 7:26pm

A professional photographer with traditional roots, Dustin has a nontraditional outlook on life. The Louisiana-born, Florida-raised Southern boy living in Rockville likes to buck the status quo and smash gay stereotypes. Despite coming out only a year and a half ago, following a three-and-a-half-year relationship with a woman, the 25-year-old comes across at ease with himself – knowing who he is, where he's been and not seeking anyone's approval. Due to the nature of his job, Dustin is often working, ...[more]

Coverboy: Andrew

Aspiring vocal artist

Published on April 15, 2012, 8:50am

Andrew must have been fated to be in the spotlight. The 24-year-old aspiring opera singer started out as a math major in college, but switched disciplines after a chorus professor suggested auditioning to become a voice major. Ever since, Andrew has pursued a singing career while working as a health care consultant, contractor and booking agent to pay the rent. He has performed at local churches, sung with the University of Maryland orchestra, interned with the Central City Opera in ...[more]

Coverboy: Robert

Family man meets gypsy dancer

Published on April 6, 2012, 8:52pm

Robert, 25, is one Buffalo, N.Y., native who actually can ''Shuffle Off to Buffalo.'' As a professional dancer, that's kid stuff. ''Shuffling off'' is actually something he's mastered, bouncing from state to state before landing in D.C. He just spent a month in Shanghai, for example. ''The life of a dancer is kind of like being a gypsy,'' he says. ''But I'm doing things I really enjoy.'' Still, if home is where the heart is, Buffalo remains at the top ...[more]

Coverboy: Luke

Budding globalist and crafty creator

Published on March 31, 2012, 4:43am

Growing up in the relatively rural Shenandoah Valley, Luke now lives in Alexandria and is appreciating that the world is his oyster. ''My last trip was Spain for a month,'' he says. Back at home, he's enjoying his front-desk job at a local gym and earning his degree in global health and nutrition, which is on track for the end of the year. Beyond fit and smart, Luke is also handy. ''I like to make things,'' he says. ''Gardening, cooking, ...[more]

Coverboy: Greg

Act fast, or you might miss this man on the move

Published on March 23, 2012, 3:13pm

If you have good taste in underpants, you may well have already seen Greg, who works at the Calvin Klein Underwear shop in Georgetown. Regardless of your taste in unmentionables, you may have also spotted Greg, 25, at The Fireplace or Aqua Nightclub -- his regular haunts. But wherever you may see him, don't get to used to the sight. The Los Angeles native moved to metro D.C. for two reasons: A friend already lived here, and it's close to ...[more]

Coverboy: Long

From Vietnam to the DMV

Published on March 17, 2012, 9:34am

When he was 15, moving to the U.S. from Vietnam, Long says it was the equivalent of winning a Wonka-esque golden ticket. But the reality wasn't all chocolate waterfalls and Gobstoppers. ''I didn't know any English at all. It was really hard,'' says Long, now 22, living in Silver Spring with his family. ''I was very cautious in the beginning.'' Now he's running around, hitting the Bachelor's Mill and Town, working full time in a government job and part time ...[more]

Coverboy: Cedric

This optimistic Marine has an eye for photography

Published on March 10, 2012, 4:27pm

Born in Tallahassee, raised in Tampa, Cedric may be a long way from the beach weather he craves. But a stint at Quantico from his active duty days in the Marine Corps was enough to convince the 26-year-old that the mid-Atlantic might suit him -- at least for a while. Still in the Reserves, Sgt. Cedric fills his time studying marketing at American University and working in photography. But while the Marines gave Cedric this neck of the woods, it ...[more]

Coverboy: René

From bullied to baker, and craving attention

Published on March 2, 2012, 5:43pm

There was a time when René, 21, growing up in Aurora, Ill., was in the shadows, suffering the bullies in elementary and middle school. Then he discovered martial arts and entered high school a changed person. ''I went in very confident,'' he says. ''Peppy, preppy, full of school spirit. When there was a spotlight, I had to be in it. I crave attention. I'm not shy in front of a camera.'' Living in Norfolk, Va., till he leaves the Navy ...[more]

A.J.

Meet a self-made man who likes his world tidy

Published on February 25, 2012, 11:02am

It's not surprising that A.J., 24, is a barback at The Fireplace and at Secrets. It's the perfect job for a guy who likes clean surfaces. ''If you go in a bar and there's just empty cups, I pick 'em up and take 'em to the bartender. It's a pet peeve. Like OCD. I'm looking at a messy table right now I need to straighten up.'' If you see A.J. on the job, you'd better not litter on his watch. ...[more]

Aaron

He's a little bit country, and a whole lot of ginger goodness

Published on February 19, 2012, 2:13pm

It's a rough economy and Aaron knows it firsthand. The 34-year-old unemployed West Virginia native is relying on an Annapolis buddy for housing at the moment, in an attempt to get closer to the D.C. area's job prospects. ''I have breakfast, go to the gym, then I come back and apply for jobs left and right,'' he says, adding that his communications degree has him well positioned for a pharmaceuticals sales position. Until he hears back, however, it's one day ...[more]

Roy

Baltimore's Roy is a dynamic mix of party boy and practical professional

Published on February 12, 2012, 8:40pm

Though far more stylish than a mullet, Roy has followed that particular haircut's philosophy of mastering both business and pleasure. On the business end, the Baltimore-area native with the MBA works as a trading assistant for a global firm. But he's also a party promoter and Club Hippo bartender. ''With party promotion, big theme parties, it's just fun to go out and shop a party with someone else's money,'' he says. ''And they're always packed.'' Aside from the Hippo, you ...[more]

Henry

This medical professional from Alexandria likes TV talent shows and tennis matches

Published on February 3, 2012, 4:01pm

Alexandria native Henry is eager to get home to the D.C. area. For now, however, the 27-year-old is paying dues by completing his surgery residency in Virginia Beach. But Henry's not at all impatient, as his coming-out experience shows. ''I'm totally a late bloomer,'' he says. ''I didn't come out to myself till medical school. I'm definitely a lot happier.'' He's also holding out for some things worth waiting for, like a husband and kids, as well as his own ...[more]

Samuel

This 20-year-old Damascus native studies cosmetology and appreciates Bob Dylan, his family, confidence and humor

Published on January 29, 2012, 3:15pm

When Samuel, who's called Damascus, Md., home all his life, came out in high school, it went so well, he even won a title. ''I got to be Mr. Damascus,'' he says. ''It was maybe a week or two after I came out.'' His school's homage to the Miss America Pageant – right down to the swimsuit competition – had the hometown boy busing out onstage to ''It's Raining Men'' and winning his school's votes. No wonder the 20-year-old stuck ...[more]

Damien

This 23-year-old kickboxing instructor is also a model and student of criminology

Published on January 20, 2012, 2:44pm

It's hard not to think of Damien, 23, as the definition of badass. He's done some time in the Air Force (not for him, though he's considering trying the Army). He teaches kickboxing and a couple other combat sports. And he's one of the very few coverboys with a pistol on his nightstand. He may be a little more cautious, however, than G.I. Joe. ''I don't fight too much,'' he says of kickboxing. ''I try not to get hit in ...[more]

Elijah

Elijah's up for hardcore rock climbing and would splurge endlessly on frozen yogurt if given the chance

Published on January 17, 2012, 1:01pm

He might not have the doctor title just yet, but Elijah, 28, should be just months away from that anthropology Ph.D. But who wouldn't expect great things from Elijah? Not only is he smart, but he has a self-reliance that's been blooming since he dropped out of his Fairfax high school junior year, after helping to found their Gay-Straight Alliance. ''I had a lot of issues with bullying. I dropped out, moved out, got a couple of fulltime retail jobs.'' ...[more]

Coverboy: Donald

A fan of David Archuleta and Omega, this 21-year-old has lesbian aunts and a dog named Romeo

Published on January 7, 2012, 4:26pm

Donald gets around. At least, he used to. Born in Iceland because of his dad's Air Force job, from there he spent much of his life bouncing around -- California, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Virginia …. ''I didn't like being the new kid growing up, but I like meeting new people. I can adjust easily, but at the same time I want to settle down.'' And at 21 he has, living in Bethesda with his fiancé, and his surrogate parents – ...[more]

Coverboy: Richie

A 20-year-old Cambodian native who likes French food, Celine, and dancing at Town

Published on December 13, 2011, 4:48pm

When Richie was born, peace had finally come to his native Cambodia after years of civil war, genocide and invasion. But his family – with their mix of French and Cherokee – was practically out the door, relocating to Northern Virginia in 1997. He still found strife in the form of high school bullying. ''It was very hard, kind of scary,'' says the 20-year-old. ''A lot of people would push me in the halls, call me 'faggot.''' Still, he's got ...[more]

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