The latest actor to fill the time-traveling icon Dr. Who’s shoes is Ncuti Gatwa, who made a thrilling first outing, somewhat literally, casually referencing the notion that this Dr. Who may have some queer aspects to him. Gatwa is already winning raves for his charismatic turn in the latest iteration of the venerable series, and has appeared in ‘Barbie’ and ‘Sex Education’. This marks his first turn as Dazzler of the Day, and it looks like this is just the beginning.
All the gays have made Josh Hutcherson the hot new Hollywood name (yes, again, because I feel like we already did this a number of years ago). The new resurgence is mostly from a couple of photos and perhaps a prosthetic penis scene in a recent film, and that’s all it really takes to be a Dazzler of the Day in this purgatorial week before we begin the New Year.
Anyone who lists ‘Dandy’ as part of their social media profile is a Dazzler of the Day in my book. Coupled with Actor, Director and Producer, Emerson Collins checks all the requisite boxes and then some, filling out a career of Renaissance-scope accomplishments as well as he fills out the Speedos, jockstraps and underwear on his Instagram feed. His witty way with words and social media magnificence handily earns him this crowning, and his camera-ready persona and production expertise backs it all up with substance and style. Visit his website here for a more comprehensive look at his long list of accomplishments.
Fresh off the fabulous seasonal finale of ‘The Gilded Age’, Ashlie Atkinson earns this Dazzler of the Day for her marvelous portrayal of the maddening Mrs. Fish. Atkinson has somehow taken this charmless character and made her an icon of the current season, especially that glorious ending in the Academy, where her literally pointing out of people leaving was the final crushing blow to Mrs. Astor and all that she represented.
The first few times we glimpsed Mrs. Fish in season one, I found her entirely abhorrent – and to see her odious comments turned on Mrs. Astor was the culmination of two years watching and rooting for Bertha. Credit must go to Atkinson’s dismissive smirks and scintillating side-eye for crafting a character audiences have loved to loathe, then come to enjoy for all her transparent poses. A woman who said the silent parts out loud at such an age was often maligned, and perhaps that’s why she resonates so strongly now. Atkinson has won a rabid and loyal fandom not only for her work on ‘The Gilded Age’ but also films as varied as ‘Another Gay Movie’, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, ‘Juanita’, and ‘BlacKkKlansman’, in addition to appearances on ‘Happy!’, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’, and ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’.
‘The Gilded Age‘ just finished its sensational second season (and my fingers are crossed for a third, please, please, pretty please!). One of the stalwart stand-outs of this series is the wonderfully complex portrayal of George Russell by Morgan Spector, who earns this Dazzler of the Day. Magnificently managing to be ruthlessly Machiavellian and ingratiatingly charming at the same time he manages to be suave, debonair, and sexy (even in a three-piece suit and top hat), Spector is the ideal foil for Carrie Coon’s beguiling Bertha. Very much hoping we get to see another season of this indulgent piece of exquisite escapism, and much, much more of Mr. Spector.
Figure skating season is upon us, and one of the rising superstars of the sport is Ilia Malinin, who just made figure skating history when he landed the first quadruple axe in competition and handy won the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. As such, Ilia earns his first Dazzler of the Day, setting the stage for a history-making season to come.
The Jonas Brothers recently performed in Albany, NY, but I had to miss it, so here’s the next best thing: Joe Jonas as Dazzler of the Day. It comes well after a year following the crowning of his brother Nick as Dazzler of the Day, so I hope that didn’t cause any friction among brothers. Joe has been here before, notably in this scorching underwear post and some of his junk in motion here. Here he merely dazzles, and it’s more than enough.
Currently cozying up to audiences on his ‘Home for the Holidays Tour’, Levi Kreis earns this Dazzler of the Day crowning for a career of entertaining prowess as actor, singer and songwriter. He’ll be performing in Ogunquit, Maine next weekend (lucky OGT!) before heading to the mid-West. Find more tour dates here.
Founder and Artistic Director of Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage company, Paul Daigneault has been presenting incredible theatrical events since 1992. Currently, the company is putting on a timely production of the exquisitely charming Tony-award winning musical ‘The Band’s Visit’, directed by Daigneault. SpeakEasy Stage has boldly been offering compelling theater, including a number of queer-theemed production such as ‘Jeffrey’, ‘Love! Valour! Compassion!‘, ‘Take Me Out’, ‘The Inheritance’ and ‘Fun Home‘. I’ve seen several of these and they were each outstanding, as was their production of ‘The Bridges of Madison County’. For decades of bringing substantial and important theatrical work to the stage, Daigneault earns his first Dazzler of the Day feature.
Perhaps known best for her role on ‘Ted Lasso’, Hannah Waddingham also has a killer voice, which is showcased on her holiday special, ‘Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas’, currently streaming on Apple TV. Waddingham has been dazzling audiences for her entire career, with scene-stealing stage turns in ‘Spamalot’, ‘Into the Woods, ‘The Beautiful Game’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – hence this spin as Dazzler of the Day.
Designer and owner of the charmingly sexy Pillow Top shop in Provincetown, MA, Michael DiMartino has been creating designs for the self-proclaimed ‘Queer Pop Home-O Shop’ in an effort to bring art into our everyday lives and objects. Currently the shop is offering some fantastical wrapping paper, which everyone needs right now, and the designs are delightfully queer-friendly. DiMartino earns this Dazzler of the Day thanks to inspiring whimsical designs with a sexy edge – the ideal juxtaposition for good-hearted holiday fun. Visit The Pillow Top website here for more information, and some dazzling home goods.
His smash hit ‘Until I Found You’ harkens to an earlier era, while maintaining the sentiment of love that spans all the ages, and that song alone is enough to earn Stephen Sanchez this Dazzler of the Day crowning. But don’t stop there – there’s a whole new album of material ripe for your listening pleasure, so check out ‘Angel Face’ and all the other offerings on his website here, including upcoming tour dates.
The most anticipated film of the holiday season is, for me, ‘Saltburn’ starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi. The latter has already been a dazzler here, and this post marks Keoghan’s turn as Dazzler of the Day. He first captured my notice in a mesmerizing turn in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, one of my favorite films last year. ‘Saltburn’ is getting similar buzz.
Keeping a promise made in this shirtless teaser post, this marks Glen Powell’s official crowning as Dazzler of the Day, thanks to his bare-ass posing in Men’s Health. Brought to my attention by the magnificent Matt Rettenmund of ‘Boy Culture’ (which is basically the only blog I bother reading anymore, present company included) Powell drops trou while arguably at the height of his physical appeal. Time may be a thief, but it’s playing for Powell right now. With scene-shredding turns in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘Hidden Figures’, and the ‘Scream Queens’ series, Powell consistently makes his vehicles must-see events. His magazine spreads are similarly scintillating.
The Man, The Myth, The Legend – those words perfectly embody our Dazzler of the Day, John Legend. With a career that has successfully straddled the worlds of music, performance, acting, producing and entertaining, he is indeed the stuff of legend. Check out his website here to see where he’ll be performing next.
