Below The Belt with Angel Benton

I am very excited to bring you the following interview with Angel Benton. This is a little of a departure from my normal porn star interviews, but just as interesting I promise! Although Angel is not a porn star, he is well known throughout the gay porn industry and has made a name for himself as an actor, emcee, writer and all around nice guy! 

Benton has been entertaining audiences for the past few years as a consummate emcee at many nightclubs and highly visible gay porn events including Hustlaball presented by RentBoy.com.  Most notably he is known for his portrayal of a Britney Spears look-a-like in the independent film Britney Baby, One More Time!  Benton has been very busy these days writing his Blog appearing as an Emcee, hosting a weekly entertainment talk show for Japanese television and keeping a pulse on all things interesting in the gay adult entertainment business.  I have known Angel for about three years now and I have to admit he is one of my favorite people working within this industry and is always a blast to be around!  Oh, did I mention he is still a virgin?  Yes, it is true…he is waiting for that special man to sweep him off his feet. 

Gio                  Angel, thank you for taking the time to do this interview!

Angel             Are you kidding? I’m flattered that you’re even interested in talking to me! I read your Below the Belt column all the time. I love it!

Gio                  I am flattered!  Tell me how you got the nickname “the boy with the golden hair.”

Angel             Well, that’s what I named my blog. In addition to the obvious reason (me being a blond) there is a little bit more obscure reason as well. You see, the very first musical that Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the men of ABBA) wrote was called “The Girl with the Golden Hair.” The musical was eventually scrapped but three of the songs from it…“Thank You For The Music,” “I Wonder (Departure),”and “I’m A Marionette” made it into ABBA’s playlist. ABBA is my favorite band. I am kind of a nerd when it comes to them.

Gio                  I love ABBA as well! You and I share a little “Pixie Dust” history as well; tell me about how you came to work for Disney as a performer?

Angel             In my mind, growing up and working at Disneyland was like being on Broadway or being in a movie. I couldn’t wait to work there someday as a performer. As soon as I was old enough, I auditioned and worked there for years. Actually, and this is the first time that I am admitting this; I lied about my age when I first started working at Disneyland. I just couldn’t wait! I was the Brent Corrigan of Disneyland I guess you could say. Anyway, I was also able to work at Tokyo Disneyland too, which to this day, was the best job that I have EVER had.

Gio                  At what age did know you had a calling to be an actor?

Angel             I was 6 years old, and from then on I have never ever doubted it. I was born to be an entertainer.

Gio                  What were you like as a child growing up?  Were you as popular in school as you are now in life?

Angel             In a word, NO! I was not that popular. I had friends, but I had an extremely bad attitude in high school. I just hated it. I couldn’t wait to get out. I even graduated early. I do have to say that I was blessed not to have been bullied. I guess my, how shall I put this, “anger management issues” I had back then prevented that. As a child I was pretty introverted until you got me on a stage….

Gio                  At what age did you know you were gay?

Angel             17, and I had already graduated from high school. That was when I STARTED going through puberty. I was an extremely late bloomer. Before then, the thought of sex at all, with boys or girls, was just gross. It wasn’t until after high school that I realized that I was sexually attracted to other boys. Although, when I was 14 I used to have weird feelings whenever I saw JC from *NSYNC on TV. I didn’t know what those feelings were, but I guess, looking back, you could say that he was my first gay “crush.”

Gio                  You have a very popular blog site at www.angelbenton.com       When did you start writing your blog and why?

Angel             I started the blog back in 2003. I was inspired by Dan Renzi (from MTV’s “Real World-Miami”) who writes a great blog of his own. Also, I really started getting serious about it in the past couple of years. Brandon Baker’s blog inspired me to blog regularly, and Benjamin Nicholas’ blog inspired me to take it seriously.

Brandon Baker & Angel Benton

Gio                  Let’s go back to 1999 and tell me about entering and winning a Britney Spears look-a-like contest?  How did that come to be?

Angel             Well, to make an extremely long story short, I was doing a Britney drag act around town when Sprint PCS and KIIS-FM held a Britney Spears look-a-like contest. The winner won concert tickets to her first tour, and a meeting with her backstage. I figured I had nothing to lose. I had no idea that not only would I be the only boy (among 30 female entrants) but that I would win! It was a red-letter day for me. I honestly felt like Miss America!

Gio                  WOW!  From that contest, you were then cast to play the lead role in the Independent Film “Britney Baby, One More Time” which played at the Sundance Film festival and many other festivals. This film got you a lot of press back then, how was that whole experience for you?

Angel             Amazing. Unreal. I got to travel the world to various film festivals to promote this movie. I loved it. In a way, it kind of prepared me for all of the traveling that I do now to various parties, promotions, conventions, and events. I met some hot people (like Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal at Sundance) and also some not so hot people, too (at that same Sundance I had an ugly run-in with Lance Bass, and there has been bad blood ever since) but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Gio                  As you know, I mostly do porn star interviews and I always ask this question…so I have to ask you.  What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that happened to you while filming the movie?

Angel             Well you won’t hear any stories about sloppy bottoms or anything like that, that’s for sure!! Actually, the most embarrassing thing was when I was filming the scene in the café where the sleazy director convinces me to go on the road with him. I go outside to take a phone call from my dad. Well, when we were shooting that scene, I went to open the door to go outside, and the door would NOT open! So I ended up pushing so hard that my knee went right through the glass window on the door! There was blood and broken glass EVERYWHERE!! I was mortified. This was day ONE of filming. They had to stop production until my wound was cleaned and the window was replaced. Luckily I managed to keep myself from getting injured again. 

Gio                  Wow, well that was a good way to start out shooting a movie! (Laugh) So, you went from Britney to being a much sought after Emcee in the gay nightclub and adult entertainment world…how did you end up getting into this type of work?

Angel             Well, my first foray was actually hosting a couple of nightclubs (TigerHeat and Pop Planet in LA) that were DVD release parties for “Britney, Baby….” All of the other gigs, I have gotten as a direct result from my friendship with Brandon Baker. I have somehow become Rentboy.com’s in-house MC, which is just fine by me!

Gio                  I also understand you also host an entertainment news program for Fuji Television in Japan “Uwasa No Showbiz Special” How did this gig come about and tell me more about the show?

Angel             The show is like “Access Hollywood” for the Japanese market. My involvement in it just recently ended though. We shot the show in Los Angeles every week for about a year, and it would air the following week in Japan. That show is how I got the nickname “the Japanese Nancy O’Dell.” I got that gig, funnily enough, by answering an ad in Craig’s List of all places, asking for a bilingual English/Japanese entertainment reporter. Since I speak Japanese, I thought I would give it a whirl. It was a blast. That Craig’s List posting was actually originally sent to me by Jason Sechrest. Not many people know that.

Gio                  Do you feel like this is becoming a “this is your life” type of interview yet (hahaha)?

Angel             I’m loving every second of it!! Bring it on!

Gio                  Tell me about you fascination with Ryan Cabrera?  What is it about him and/or his music that trips your trigger?

Ryan Cabrera

Angel             In addition to him being ricockulously beautiful, he is an extremely talented and underrated musician. His music speaks to me, and his dorky sense of humor is a total turn-on, too. I like boys that are a little bit goofy and don’t take themselves too seriously. (And did I mention that he’s got a hot ass?)

Gio                  Speaking of tripping a trigger, you are still a “virgin” in a sense.  In today’s environment and the amount of hot men you are surrounded by, why have you decided to wait to have full out sex?

Angel             Talk about tripping triggers!! Gio, you have asked me three questions in a row that I could go on and on and on about, haha. OK well, here’s the thing. I never set out to be this Mandy Moore-esque poster child for gay virginity, BUT, having said that, you ALWAYS remember the first time that you have sex. Because of that, I want my first experience to be special, with someone that I love, who understands how special it is to me. I don’t want to give it up and regret it later. If people want more detail than that, they can read my blog, because it is the topic that EVERYONE always wants to talk about, and I have no problems talking about it either.

Gio                  It may surprise you and my readers, but I did not give up my “cherry” until I met my current partner of 14 years and he had to wait about a year into our relationship, I was 26!  Up to that point, I did everything but give up my ass.  Well, I did top a lot prior to that!

Angel             THAT is the type of thing that I am waiting for, and it really makes me happy to know that it really does exist out there! It’s not just a myth! Sometimes I think that gay men are all so good at separating sex from emotion, that it makes it difficult to find someone who wants to LOVE you as well as fuck you. Was that TMI? hehe

Gio                  Wow, now I feel like we are in the Confessions Tour with Madonna (Laugh).  So, I know you are a big fan of gay porn.  What do you like most about porn?

Angel             In addition to being extremely pleasing to the eye, and employing some of my closest friends, porn, and the “release” that I get from it, has prevented me from making reckless mistakes just because I was horny. It also has taught me a lot about the actual mechanics of sex, like positions, etc. I love it.

Gio                  I have asked a lot of people what constitutes the term “porn star.” What is your opinion as to who is or is not a “porn star?”

Angel             Well, I’m pretty easygoing about that. I throw around the label “porn star” to pretty much anyone who has done an adult film, but I guess the purists will say that there are very few STARS on the scene like there were in days past. But the same can be said for mainstream entertainment as well. So in a way, all these “porn stars” are a reflection of society as a whole and our obsession with celebrity. Is Paris Hilton really a “star?” I guess it would depend on who you ask.

Gio                  Of the porn stars on the scene today, who is your favorite (or favorites) and why?

Angel             Another tripped trigger….haha, well, my personal favorites are Blake Riley, Robbie Angel, the Brents (Everett and Corrigan), Josh Vaughn, Trevor Knight, Lukas Ridgeston, Ken Ryker, Tim Hamilton, Brandon Manilow, Roman Heart, Johnny Hazzard, Danny Roddick, Brian Hansen, Jan Fischer, and of course, Andy Kirra. They all have their own charisma in addition to their beauty that is extremely appealing.

Angel with Hot Porn Stars! Photo courtesy of PartyWithBradon

Gio                  We recently spent some time together in magnificent Palm Springs at the RentBoy Pool Party.  The term Rent Boy is mainly a European term used for a male escort and the word “Escort” brings up many stereotypes in peoples minds.  Although you are not an escort, you have many friends that are part of RentBoy.com, what do you think is the biggest misconception that people have about the Escorting Profession?

Angel             That escorts are sleazy streetwalkers just looking for their next drug fix. I know that may sound extreme, but you would be surprised how many people think that! And I would say that 98% of the escorts that I know are the complete antithesis of that: responsible, upstanding, professional young men that provide a legitimate service.

Gio                  Very well said!  Gay pride is coming up very soon, what does pride mean to you?

Angel             To me, pride is all about not just accepting who you are, but LOVING who you are and being completely unapologetic about it.

Gio                  Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Angel             Gosh, no offense, but I hate that question. If you answer too optimistically, you come off as delusional, and if you answer too conservatively, people think you have low self-esteem (which may not be that far off in my case). I’m gonna go conservative and say that I would like to be on television in America on a regular basis in 5 years. I think that’s a good goal.

Gio                  If I were to ask your two closest friends what your best qualities are, what would they tell me?

Angel             Well, I am extremely caring and loyal to my friends, and I am considerate of others’ feelings to a fault.

Gio                  And what would they say you need to work on?

Angel             I think my closest friends would probably say that I need to tone it down with the overwrought emotions lately! I’ve always been the type that wears their heart on their sleeve, and that can make for some awkward and uncomfortable situations for those who aren’t that used to being so upfront about their feelings.

Gio                  Aside from acting and attending porn related events, what are you passionate about in life?

Angel             Love. The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

Gio                  If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

Angel             A snow leopard. I’ve always loved cats, and leopards are just gorgeous, yet amazingly ferocious animals. I love that balance.

Gio                  In your blog you post voice postings of what is going on in your life, your passions, sadness, etc.  Have you ever had any backlash for being so open and honest on your blog?

Angel             Are you kidding? CONSTANTLY!! It really only comes from people I know. I always try not to write something if it involves someone else and I think that they might be offended, but sometimes, in order to understand my headspace, I have to name names and give details. For the most part people understand about that, and if something happens that they don’t want me blogging about, they will say so ahead of time. I have never edited a post once it went up. In the movie “Truth Or Dare” Warren Beatty tells Madonna’s doctor that “She doesn’t want to live if it’s off-camera.” I feel the same way. An unexamined life is not worth living. Funnily enough, I find that I get the most hits to the website when I am in the grips of depression and heartache. Go figure.

Gio                  If you knew the world was going to end next week and you really wanted to give up your virginity, who would you seek out to be your first?

Angel             Andy Kirra

Angel Benton & Andy Kirra

Gio                  He is so sweet!  What is the corniest pick-up line ever used on you?

Angel             Believe it or not (and this may come as a shock to some people) but guys, don’t really pick up on me at bars at all! Seriously! But I DID see a guy ask one of my friends, “Do you like apples?” and my friend said, “Yes.” Then the guy said, “Well I want to take you home and fuck the hell out of you. How you like THEM apples??” I couldn’t stop laughing. It worked on my friend though….

Gio                  That is hysterical! If you care to share, what is your ultimate sexual fantasy yet to be fulfilled?

Angel             Well, here is my fantasy deflowering. My boyfriend (whoever that may be) will take me into a bedroom that is filled with 100 candles and plumeria petals on the bed, and kisses me and tells me that he loves me while soft music plays in the background. Then we have hot sex all night long where we flip-flop and then, after climax, we fall asleep in each other’s arms. OK the spirit of Jackie Collins has just left the building…

Gio                  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Angel             Physically? I would eliminate my facial hair, which I hate. I am actually in the process of doing just that. Mentally, I would probably say that I would try to change how hard I am on myself.

Gio                  What do you think your best physical feature is?

Angel             I have been told by others that I have legs for days (“more legs than a bucket of chicken”) but I like my complexion. I work very hard to keep my skin this clear!

Gio                  For your fans reading this interview and new fans getting to know you, tell me what new and exciting things you have coming up?

Angel             I will be at gay pride in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and San Diego. I am walking in the MS Walk to raise money for Mutliple Sclerosis in Los Angeles and San Diego. I will be running the San Diego Marathon on June 3^rd, and I will be working the red carpet of the Military Ball (which is the after party to the Grabby’s) in Chicago. I just started co-writing a column in Just Us Boys Magazine (with Brandon Baker) and in November I will be appearing at Earlham College in Indiana for a screening of “Britney, Baby….” that I will be introducing, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Gio                  Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of this interview?

Angel             Thank you all so much for reading this interview, and log on to www.angelbenton.com to learn more about me! I promise that (because of who I am friends with) you will encounter porn gossip in addition to me being all blah blah blah about my feelings! And anyone wishing to book me to host a nightclub or event or to speak at their college or university can contact me at Angel@angelbenton.com

Gio                  Thank you again for taking the time to do this interview!

Angel             Gio you are FIERCE! I will see you soon. Maybe you can hook me up with some hot photos? *wink*

Gio                  Well Angel, I am closing with one of my latest photos which I think is more sexy and beautiful than hot!  I shot porn star Ryann Wood last week at the beach.  So, this shot is for you Angel!