Acquired Tastes XLIII Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 158 - Gaytimes Book Club, Part 4

Acquired Tastes XLIII

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 158

Gaytimes Book Club, Part 4

Today, we continue taking a look at New Male's Gaytimes Book Club imprint.

Unsurprisingly, very little is available in the way of information regarding the imprint's history.

The books were distributed by Star Distributors, LTD., which held a P.O. Box (#362) at the Canal Street Station in New York, NY, zip code 10013,

The imprint published 208 titles during its run from 1979 to 1992, all credited to Anonymous.

Publisher's Page

The covers went through four distinct cover changes. Initially they displayed facial or upper torso with face portraits of masculine gay archetypes presented in a stylistic manner all done by the same artist. The publisher chose to switch cover designs starting around book #60 in 1983. At that point the portraits, typically of a single figure, although there were exceptions, featured a three-quarter portrait of a male, typically clothed. The drawings, all done in a comic book-like style by the same artist, appear somewhat amateurish, though colored nicely in an array of flat, solid colors. A third style would be introduced, featuring a black background, creating a domed frame with an amateurish colored drawing. By that point the books were under the heading of New Male, with the Gaytimes Book Club name not mentioned at all. Near the tail end of the imprint's history, they would feature a colored drawing with a bit more artistic merit, minus any framing device or background.

Examples of the back covers. The first example was used for books #1-60. After that, the back covers were used to advertise the most recent offerings from Star Distributer's Rough Trade imprint.

But the covers were not the only thing to change. The books now advertised ten pages of personal ads and an assortment of sexual enhancement products. Below is a partial description of such a book from Gay's The Word Bookshop, "the UK's oldest LGBT+ bookshop, opening in January 1979 at 66 Marchmont Street."

"Very rare pulp paperback published in 1984 by the GayTimes Book Club (New York). Read and worn, with creasing to spine and on lower cover, but intact with no loss and in solid condition. Yellow sticker on upper cover showing "R" rating: "(a) not to be sold or exhibited to minors, (b) Not to be available for perusal by minors, (c) Not to be displayed in any place to which minors have access, (d) Not to be advertised." With advertisements for "Stallion Slo-Cum Spray" and "Anal Ecstasy" on inside covers, personal advertisements in the final pages ("TEN pages of ads from people who want to meet you!"), and a further catalog of gay erotica available from Star Distributors."

Books #1-60 also feature ads, about nine pages worth, at the back of book - things like subscriptions to The Gaytimes News (12 issues for $18), payment to be sent to P.O. Box 101, Murray Hill Station, New York, NY 10016; Rough Trade, Male Photo, and Stud Series books; and an assortment of 'Butt Tinglers', 'Pocket Pussies', and alarming-looking dildoes.

Oddly, the book's catalog number does not appear on the cover of the book (only on the spine), nor do the words 'New Male' appear anywhere on this first batch of covers, yet that brand name is later associated with the books.

As previously mentioned, I'm not sure how many of the 208 covers I will be able to track down, but here are the next ten covers I could find. We'll just take it one post at a time...

So far, out of 50 titles, I have found 40 covers. But believe me... as we continue, there are going to be more and more covers missing.

 --- ---

 Beach Boy

Author: Anonymous

 1981 

NM-039

--- ---

 Boss Con

Author: Anonymous

 1981 

NM-040

Available as a PDF or ebook download at Hommi Publishing.

--- ---

Rodeo Lust

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-041

--- ---

Sadist Soldiers

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-042

--- ---

 Bad Ass Biker

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-043

Reprinted as NM-188 with a new cover.

--- ---

 Lumberjack

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-044

--- ---

 Stud Wrangler

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-045 

Reissued as NM-184 with a new cover.

--- ---

 Musclemen Masters

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-046

--- ---

 Hell’s Hardhats

 Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-047

Reprinted as FIN-176 for the Finland imprint.

--- ---

 Naked Navy

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-048

--- ---

 Ball Buster

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-049 

Reprinted as JS-129 for the Jock Studs imprint.

--- ---

 King Coach

Author: Anonymous

 1982 

NM-050

--- ---

And that's all for now.

Next week: ten more Gaytime Book Club covers.

Until then...

Thanks for reading.

Beach Boy - BENEE

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Totie Fields

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: 

Totie Fields

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing dedicated to the Ladies Of Comedy. Theses are the gals who made us laugh and, on occasion, brought a tear to our eyes. They are visionaries, capturing aspects of the human condition while holding up a mirror to the world. Their characters, style, and phrases have helped form our daily vernacular in ways we are not even always aware of - but that is the power of comedy and the magic these ladies all possess. Breaking ground while breaking all the rules.

One such powerhouse?

Totie Fields!

You're gonna see lips, like you've never seen before,

You're gonna see hips, you'll remember ever more,

You're gonna see passion, that'll set your pulses on fire!

You're gonna see fashion, not many women acquire.

And when you put them all together, what do you see?

Fascinating, intoxicating, scintillating, captivating - stunning me!

You're gonna see eyes; like you've never dreamed before,

You're gonna see thighs, that could start another war.

And when you put them all together, what do you see?

You see adorable, wonderful, beautiful, sexy me!

- Stunning Me from Totie Field's Las Vegas revue, 1971

Fields was born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut. She started singing in Boston clubs while still in high school, taking the stage name of Totie Fields. The name 'Totie', was a childhood nickname, due to the way she'd pronounce 'Sophie' as a child.

She married George William Johnston, Jr. in 1950, and was the mother of two daughters.

Fields gained fame during the 1960's and 70's.Her first big break came when Ed Sullivan booked her on his show after seeing her perform at the Copacabana in New York. She made multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show. In addition, she appeared as a special guest star on the Carol Burnette Show and during the fifth season  of Here’s Lucy starring Lucille Ball.

In 1972, Fields wrote a humorous diet book titled I Think I’ll Start on Monday: The Official 8½ Oz. Mashed Potato Diet. She also considered producing a Totie Fields line of clothing for larger-sized women - offering sizes 3, 5 and 7. "Mentally it will make us feel better," she said.

During the last years of her life, due to a some botched cosmetic surgery, Fields experienced numerous medical issues, including phlebitis, diabetes, and the amputation of her left leg. In addition she developed breast cancer, underwent a mastectomy, and had two heart attacks. Throughout all this, she continued to work the showrooms of Vegas, along with the talk show and game show circuit. 

In 1978, during the last year of her life, Fields was voted 'Entertainer of the Year' and 'Female Comedy Star of the Year' by the American Guild of Variety Artists.

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The Topic: Schtick!

"I've been on a diet for two weeks and all I've lost is two weeks."

"Happiness is getting a brown gravy stain on a brown dress."

"I exercise daily to keep my figure. I keep patting my hand against the bottom of my chin. It works too. I have the thinnest fingers in town."

"I go for bagels and cream cheese. My ruination is that I'd rather eat a loaf of bread than a steak. I know I'm never going to be thin again and I'm, happy. I think I'm precious at this weight."

"Shirley Temple had charisma as a child. But it cleared up as an adult."

"I've waited all my life to say this... I weigh less than Elizabeth Taylor!"

"Lucy darling, you have been a big star for many, many years and it must kill ya to see a young kid like me stepping into your shoes."

"Do you like to shop? Ya like to bargain? I do. The other day I bought 20 pairs of panty hose for fifteen cents a piece. They had the seam running up the front. What can you do? I figured I'd learn to walk backwards."

"I break all the rules and wear everything. Ruffles, ostrich feathers, fox coats. You look fat in fox anyway, so if you start fat, you only look a little fatter."

The Ed Sullivan Show - Totie Fields

1967

Interview - Totie Fields

1972

 

I'm Always Chasing Rainbows - Totie Fields

MDA Telethon, 1976

And one last parting shot...

"I come right out and say, ‘I'm fat!’ This deprives the wise alecks from mouthing loud asides all night, ‘Gosh, she's fat,’ as they glimpse me in a tent dress. They're left with nothing to say."

Weekend Onesie: Think Of The Children! Part IV - The Karo Syrup Kid

Weekend Onesie:

Think Of The Children! Part IV

The Karo Syrup Kid

Come on, baby... give me some sugar!

This is one sweet kid.

A little background, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Corn syrup was available at grocery stores in the 19th century, as a generic product sold from a barrel. In 1902, the Corn Products Refining Company introduced clear, bottled corn syrup under the brand name of Karo Syrup. In 1910, the company launched one of the largest advertising campaigns ever seen. This included full-page advertisements in women's magazines and free cookbooks full of recipes that called for Karo brand corn syrup. In the 1930s, they promoted a new pecan pie recipe that featured corn syrup, followed by a similar, nut-free chess pie recipe, in a bid to drive sales."

Karo Syrup has a long history of exploiting children as a sales gimmick - that, and Native American iconography (see the corn lady!) 

It was sold as a means of energy maintenance - what we now call a sugar high!

For a time, The Dionne Quints served as spokes models.

And even after The Quints grew up, losing their appeal - and The Karo Syrup Kid was history...

Karo continued to find ways to fatten up Americans. Because nothing says success like obesity and a case of the sugarbetes!

They tried a lot of different tactics:

Smarts!

For tough guys!

Health Benefits

Nutritional Truths

And food! With style!

Rosalind Russell style.

Betty Grable style?

Debonair Fred Astaire style?

This it the cover of one of the cookbooks.

Glaze your ham?

Flapjacks, pancakes and waffles.

And speaking of cakes!

Cookies.

And pies.

And don't forget the holidays!

Even St. Patty's Day?

A contest? But I can't find out who won or what they named the kid. 

If you know, leave it in the comments section.

Sugar - Sufjan Stevens