Awake, Aware and Alive with Teddy Bass - Episode 7 Special Guest on T.A.G.S

For those of you who have listened to Episode 7 of TALK ABOUT GAY SEX with my special guest, Teddy Bass, you will recognize the title of this post when Bass quoted the Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith words to live by: AWAKE, AWARE AND ALIVE. Beckwith is the spiritual director at the AGAPE CENTER in Los Angeles and Bass is a practicing member and involved in the amazing choir productions the center produces. Teddy shared so many of his life lessons,  and advice he's been given for growth that I hope people listen and get something out of this very special episode.

I was happy that Teddy agreed to sit down with me for this one on one discussion. I had been so used to having one of my sidekicks on the show with me that I was concerned this would turn into an interview and not a free conversation. I am happy with the outcome as I've heard the episode two times now and I think both of us freely opened up about our sexual lives and growth in maturity. Part of this had to do with the exquisite setting we had at the Hotel Bel Aire. The evening was a cold night, just a couple days after New Year's Day. The Swan Lake room had a fire place and Teddy and I sat across from each other on a plush couch and cushy cream chair. I drank champagne, of course and Teddy drank a virgin mocktail. 

The other reason I think the conversation flowed had to do with our mutual growth in life experiences from the time we me in 1998 until now in 2017, just a year shy of 20 years. I can't say we've been close friends that entire span, in fact you'll hear a little bit in the episode about when we met and the two trips we took together to Vegas and Palm Springs. After a few years of working behind the desk at the trainer gym that is no longer, Todd Tramp's in West Hollywood, CA, I had become a personal trainer. Teddy introduced me to a different training gym also in Weho that I brought a few clients too. I left the industry and my acting career to take a job in special events and marketing.  I didn't see Teddy during my final years living in Los Angeles and later I had moved to New York in 2007. 

SIZZLING HOT PR

About four years ago I took a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico to celebrate my friend's birthday. There were about four of us in town, but my friend Frank and I arrived a day early to check out the nightlife scene. We felt we hit the jackpot with our first stop, SX, as it was the former Eagle, yes PR had a leather bar at one point. Although it had been replaced by the new SX, the dark, dungeon vibe still held over and the new spot featured hot sexy boys wearing nothing but jockstraps and g-strings, as well as a sizable dark room.  They danced and approached the patrons and often did private dances, but it was the bartender, who we called Superman that really caught our attention, or should I say his unit that caught our eye. He had a big Superman tattoo on his chest and went by the nickname. Superman often took off his clothes, climbed on the bar and waived that huge piece in front of our eyes. It was about that time that I looked around the room to see if anyone else was as fixated as I was, and to my surprise I saw Teddy Bass staring right at me. I heard his infectious laugh from across the bar as I pointed at him,  with my mouth wide open,  to the surprise of seeing my old friend. We embraced and I introduced him to my friend Frank. We hung out the remainder of that trip, but more importantly it reignited our friendship. 

My friendship with Teddy has stood the test of time and I think we both enjoy seeing each other's growth. As Teddy said on the podcast, "I think everyone is going through and identity crises, to some extent, so there is a need to identify with some thing..." With that I invite you to listen, if you haven't already,  to my conversation with Teddy Bass below. Follow him @teddybfitness