There are two things one can expect on a trip to see Michael Musto at the offices of the Village Voice: a twenty minute round-trip wait for the elevator and rapid fire answers from one of the most recognizable gossip columnists in the United States. Musto, in addition to his appearances on Countdown with Keith Olbermann and the E! network, has been writing his column for the Voice since 1984. He has recently compiled the best of them in a book released this year titled, La Dolce Musto: Writings by the World's Most Outrageous Columnist. He was Carrie Bradshaw, replete with a prodigious use of puns, before Sex in the City was a thought. His column is a romp through his life, spats and opinions on socio-political issues. As David Thigpen of the Chicago Tribune wrote, Musto is "a funny and caustic satirist who masquerades as a gossip and nightlife columnist." He is friendly and frank, and he welcomes people to join him in his world ("I just got a message that Michael Lucas died!" he says staring wide-eyed at his phone; the message turned out to be false).  David Shankbone spoke with Musto about his life and his relationship to the world of celebrity journalism. And he did not hold back. DS: You recently did a column that opened talking about how gays don't want to bottom anymore; later you talk about Michael Moore's Sicko and the problem of hospitals over-medicating their patients. Do you think that style of mixing glitz and substance reaches people, or do you think they tend to gloss the substantive parts?MM: I've always mixed a conscience with a lack thereof; I've always put serious issues into the mix of my party-going. That's just my style, and I think people do appreciate reading me when they are reading me as a guilty pleasure when they come across some serious discussion of a topic that pushes buttons. People love it. I get the most reaction to those. I got a huge reaction to the bottom thing. That's not really a serious topic...DS: It seems to be because it's a reaction of a community to a health related topic, since you were saying it was a health consciousness that is causing a derth of bottoms. Bare-backing is still the rage.MM: The body fascism thing actually did originate as a health phenomenon, because people were reacting to AIDS. People were like, 'I'm going to build up my body so that AIDS can't get me,' and we were being bashed at the same time by people saying we deserved AIDS. So that was a way of saying I'm not a "sissy." But it became totally obsessive and absurd, and it didn't protect you from bashing or AIDS or anything else. DS: How would you describe your style of dress? MM: It's kind of early Reign of Terror [Laughs]]. Which is also my home decorating style! I shop at thrift shops. I got this at Webers's, which is next to Jacks 99 Cent Store. It was  $5.00. It's my new 'big' buy of the year. I just don't throw anything out, and I don't buy anything new. Why bother? But I do have some fabulous outfits, like if I really need to be 'on.' DS: Would you build a little animal kingdom, or would you set out on your own? MM: I wouldn't build an arc, because I saw Evan Almighty and that was awful. I would probably just climb up the trees so they don't eat me alive. Good luck trying to rule over hippos and wildebeests. They're not going to listen to you because you're human! 'Oh, he's human! He's our leader!' It's not going to happen that way! Category:Culture and entertainment Category:Me
There are two things one can expect on a trip to see Michael Musto at the offices of the Village Voice: a 20-minute round-trip wait for the elevator and rapid fire answers from one of the most recognizable gossip columnists in the United States. Musto, in addition to his appearances on Countdown with Keith Olbermann and the E! network, has been writing his column for the Voice since 1984. He has recently compiled the best of them in a book released this year titled, La Dolce Musto: Writings by the World's Most Outrageous Columnist. He was Carrie Bradshaw, replete with a prodigious use of puns, before Sex in the City was a thought. His column is a romp through his life, spats and opinions on socio-political issues. As David Thigpen of the Chicago Tribune wrote, Musto is "a funny and caustic satirist who masquerades as a gossip and nightlife columnist." He is friendly and frank, and he welcomes people to join him in his world ("I just got a message that Michael Lucas died!" he says staring wide-eyed at his phone; the message turned out to be false). Wikinews reporter David Shankbone spoke with Musto about his life and his relationship to the world of celebrity journalism. And he did not hold back. DS: You recently did a column that opened talking about how gays don't want to bottom anymore; later you talk about Michael Moore's Sicko and the problem of hospitals over-medicating their patients. Do you think that style of mixing glitz and substance reaches people, or do you think they tend to gloss the substantive parts?MM: I've always mixed a conscience with a lack thereof; I've always put serious issues into the mix of my party-going. That's just my style, and I think people do appreciate reading me when they are reading me as a guilty pleasure when they come across some serious discussion of a topic that pushes buttons. People love it. I get the most reaction to those. I got a huge reaction to the bottom thing. That's not really a serious topic...DS: It seems to be because it's a reaction of a community to a health related topic, since you were saying it was a health consciousness that is causing a dearth of bottoms. Bare-backing is still the rage.MM: The body fascism thing actually did originate as a health phenomenon, because people were reacting to AIDS. People were like, 'I'm going to build up my body so that AIDS can't get me,' and we were being bashed at the same time by people saying we deserved AIDS. So that was a way of saying I'm not a "sissy." But it became totally obsessive and absurd, and it didn't protect you from bashing or AIDS or anything else. DS: How would you describe your style of dress? MM: It's kind of early Reign of Terror [Laughs]]. Which is also my home decorating style! I shop at thrift shops. I got this at Webers's, which is next to Jacks 99 Cent Store. It was US $5.00. It's my new 'big' buy of the year. I just don't throw anything out, and I don't buy anything new. Why bother? But I do have some fabulous outfits, like if I really need to be 'on.' DS: Would you build a little animal kingdom, or would you set out on your own? MM: I wouldn't build an arc, because I saw Evan Almighty and that was awful. I would probably just climb up the trees so they don't eat me alive. Good luck trying to rule over hippos and wildebeests. They're not going to listen to you because you're human! 'Oh, he's human! He's our leader!' It's not going to happen that way! 
R
twenty minute
20-minute
A
Wikinews reporter
R
derth
dearth
A
US
D
Category:Culture and entertainment Category:Me