Billy Masters
Encyclopedia
For the football player of the same name see Billy Masters (football player).
Billy Masters (born on February 13, 1969 in Somerville, Massachusetts
) is best known as an openly
gay
gossip columnist
whose work is syndicated
to gay and alternative publications around the United States. In 1995, his column (originally called "Filth") appeared in Odyssey Magazine
San Francisco. Within three months, it was in over 20 publications, marking the first time a columnist was syndicated in gay papers. By 1998, he started the website Filth2Go.com which routinely was ranked in the top 100,000 websites around the world (according to Alexa.com). In 2005, the column became known simply as "Billy Masters" and the website rechristened as www.BillyMasters.com.
Masters' style is more light hearted and comedic than most gossip columnists. However, he has broken a number of stories that have been picked up by mainstream publications. Many involved actors who have appeared in gay porn
(Simon Rex
, for example). Faye Dunaway
has been a frequent target with a feature Billy calls "Fayewatch" - usually chronicling her diva demands and misdeeds. Masters is often quoted on Page Six of the New York Post, and is frequently featured in such publications as People
, Entertainment Weekly
, the Village Voice, US Magazine, Playbill
, etc. He is a regular guest on radio and television talk shows, getting his start on the Joan Rivers
Show, People Are Talking (Tom Bergeron
), and Live with Regis
and Kathie Lee
.
As a performer, Masters acts, sings and does stand-up. He often donates his time to a variety of charities and benefits, including many Gay Pride
celebrations and AIDS
Benefits. The Internet Movie Database
lists him as an actor in the film "The Brinks Job" and the television series "Spencer: For Hire." He's also featured in hereTV's World AIDS Day Special, "We're Here To Remember." In 2005, he filmed two talk show pilots, "The Billy Masters Show" and "Deep Dish," both of which are listed as in development. And in 2006, he appeared as a celebrity judge alongside Chi Chi LaRue
and Bruce Vilanch
in All Worlds Studio's "Fucking with the Stars."
Masters keeps busy as a stand-up comedian and has opened for a variety of other comedians and musical acts, including Taylor Dayne
, George Michael
, Tiffany, Joan Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Joy Behar
, Eartha Kitt
, and Grace Jones
.
He often refers to Joan Rivers not only as his strongest influence, but as a comedic mentor
. In an interview, he said: "Joan Rivers was my first real guide, my comedic godmother. She told me if you bomb, get back up on that stage. If you can't get back up there, then you didn't deserve to be there in the first place. That, and she taught me to be very careful about swearing for a laugh. Take the swear out of the joke, she said. If you can still get a laugh, then it's funny. If you need the swear to get the laugh, the joke stinks!"
In May 2008, Billy Masters performed a limited run of "Going Out On A Limb: Confessions of a Hollywood Insider" at Chicago
's Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
. At the time, Billy was in Chicago for the Grabby Awards
and Mr. International Leather USA.
Billy Masters (born on February 13, 1969 in Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
) is best known as an openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
gossip columnist
Gossip columnist
A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine. Gossip columns are material written in a light, informal style, which relates the gossip columnist's opinions about the personal lives or conduct of celebrities from show business ,...
whose work is syndicated
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
to gay and alternative publications around the United States. In 1995, his column (originally called "Filth") appeared in Odyssey Magazine
Odyssey Magazine (U.S.)
Odyssey Magazine is a magazine of interest to the LGBT communities in Los Angeles and Hawaii . Its bi-weekly distribution has risen since 1996 to 35,000. It is published by Mike Evereart of ME Publications, and the editor in chief is Keoki Tavares....
San Francisco. Within three months, it was in over 20 publications, marking the first time a columnist was syndicated in gay papers. By 1998, he started the website Filth2Go.com which routinely was ranked in the top 100,000 websites around the world (according to Alexa.com). In 2005, the column became known simply as "Billy Masters" and the website rechristened as www.BillyMasters.com.
Masters' style is more light hearted and comedic than most gossip columnists. However, he has broken a number of stories that have been picked up by mainstream publications. Many involved actors who have appeared in gay porn
Gay pornography
Gay pornography is the representation of sexual intercourse between men with the primary goal of sexual arousal in its audience. There is also a tradition, and continuing considerable output, of lesbian pornography....
(Simon Rex
Simon Rex
Simon Rex is an American actor, comedian, television host and recording artist. He is known for starring as Jeff Campbell in What I Like About You, during the first season.-Early life:...
, for example). Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
has been a frequent target with a feature Billy calls "Fayewatch" - usually chronicling her diva demands and misdeeds. Masters is often quoted on Page Six of the New York Post, and is frequently featured in such publications as People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, the Village Voice, US Magazine, Playbill
Playbill
Playbill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door...
, etc. He is a regular guest on radio and television talk shows, getting his start on the Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
Show, People Are Talking (Tom Bergeron
Tom Bergeron
Tom Bergeron is an American television personality and game show host, best known as the host of the ABC reality series Dancing with the Stars and host of America's Funniest Home Videos . He was also host of Hollywood Squares and a fill-in host for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire...
), and Live with Regis
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
and Kathie Lee
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin...
.
As a performer, Masters acts, sings and does stand-up. He often donates his time to a variety of charities and benefits, including many Gay Pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
celebrations and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
Benefits. The Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
lists him as an actor in the film "The Brinks Job" and the television series "Spencer: For Hire." He's also featured in hereTV's World AIDS Day Special, "We're Here To Remember." In 2005, he filmed two talk show pilots, "The Billy Masters Show" and "Deep Dish," both of which are listed as in development. And in 2006, he appeared as a celebrity judge alongside Chi Chi LaRue
Chi Chi LaRue
Larry David Paciotti is an American film director of gay, bisexual and straight pornography. He is best known in his drag persona as Chi Chi LaRue and has also directed under the names Lawrence David and Taylor Hudson.- Career :...
and Bruce Vilanch
Bruce Vilanch
Bruce Vilanch is an American comedy writer, songwriter and actor. He is a six-time Emmy Award-winner Vilanch is best known to the public for his four-year stint on Hollywood Squares, as a celebrity participant; in the entertainment industry he is best known as head writer for the show...
in All Worlds Studio's "Fucking with the Stars."
Masters keeps busy as a stand-up comedian and has opened for a variety of other comedians and musical acts, including Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Tiffany, Joan Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Joy Behar
Joy Behar
Josephina Victoria "Joy" Behar is an American comedian, writer, actress, and a co-host of the talk show The View. Behar has a commentary program, entitled The Joy Behar Show, on CNN's sister network, HLN...
, Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
, and Grace Jones
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
.
He often refers to Joan Rivers not only as his strongest influence, but as a comedic mentor
Mentorship
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
. In an interview, he said: "Joan Rivers was my first real guide, my comedic godmother. She told me if you bomb, get back up on that stage. If you can't get back up there, then you didn't deserve to be there in the first place. That, and she taught me to be very careful about swearing for a laugh. Take the swear out of the joke, she said. If you can still get a laugh, then it's funny. If you need the swear to get the laugh, the joke stinks!"
In May 2008, Billy Masters performed a limited run of "Going Out On A Limb: Confessions of a Hollywood Insider" at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
The Bailiwick Repertory Theatre is a theater company in Chicago founded in 1982 that produces eclectic works. It stages productions at the Bailiwick Arts Center , its home since 1995.In 2007, it presented the American premiere of Jerry Springer - The Opera....
. At the time, Billy was in Chicago for the Grabby Awards
Grabby Awards
Grabby Awards , are presented annually in Chicago to honor work done in the gay pornography industry. The awards are sponsored by Grab Magazine, a free weekly that describes itself as "Chicago's premier LGBT publication." The Grabby Awards and Grab Magazine are owned and operated by Grabbys, LLC....
and Mr. International Leather USA.