How did Rekers find Roman? Rekers says he wasn’t trolling Rentboy.com, but so far that’s the only site we know Roman to be advertising his services on. Instead, Rekers says he asked around to colleagues to receive referrals about skilled travel companions/”luggage lifters,” and that’s how he got Roman’s name. Which means Rekers is either lying, or one of his anti-gay cohorts has also hired Roman for travel engagements. In which case: There are more like Rekers out there. Let’s find them.
Why didn’t Rekers go beyond erotic massages? While Rekers insists there was nothing sexual between the two, Roman says they engaged in massages, during which Rekers was erect — sensible, since Roman says he focused on caressing Rekers and playing with his anus during the sessions. But if Rekers is indeed gay, and has this young cutie all to himself, why didn’t things go further?
Will Rekers continue his attacks on gays? Despite Rekers’ denials, everyone is already distancing themselves from Rekers. NARTH is “attempting to understand” the Rekers saga. The University of South Carolina wiped Rekers from its faculty pages. Even the Family Research Council, which Rekers helped co-found with James Dobson in the 80s, is saying it “has had no contact with Dr. Rekers or knowledge of his activities in over a decade.” Friends sure disappear fast amidst a gay sex scandal. But will Rekers’ platform? You really only need a website and an email address to be called an anti-gay activist, and Rekers still has those things. But who can take seriously a guy preaching against the gays who spent a 10-day trip to Spain and the UK with a male escort?
Is there a sex tape? While the only photos of Rekers and Roman together, so far, come from the Miami New Times‘ photographer that caught them at the airport, we can’t help but wonder whether there are cell phone pictures that Roman might’ve snapped of the two of them together, or other, ahem, “candid” shots that Rekers might have taken during their escapades.
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Does Rekers have a history of escorts? Johns arrested for prostitution always tell their wives “it was my first time.” Bullshit. It never is. And we can’t imagine this is the first time Rekers got bizzy with a sex worker. So how long until other escorts come out of the shadows, whether for their 15 minutes, or because they realized they were giving handjobs to an utter asshole and it’s time to bring down his house? Update: Rekers definitely has a history with Roman. Roman, with Facebook messages as evidence, says Rekers twice visited his home for rub downs before their international trip. Update: And another one joins the fray! A “former porn star” named Chaz (aka the “Chazonator”; real name Carl Shepherd), who claims he is “friends” with Ted Haggard in his wife, says: “One of my clients was none other than Professor George Rekers. I had no idea, until this story broke, that this man was the anti gay activist that he is. Now that I am aware of the damage he has caused the LGBT community, I realize that it is my responsibility to set the record straight. George Rekers is neither gay, nor straight. He is bisexual, like myself. Unfortunately, Rekers is also at odds with his faith, and therefore cannot come to terms with his sexuality, privately or publicly.” Shepard says Rekers asked only for Shepherd to run his fingers “lightly” over his naked backside; the idea of oral or anal sex turned him off. The encounter cost $150.
Does Rekers have grounds for a defamation lawsuit? Rekers says he’s retaining the services of a defamation attorney. Well, he should get counsel. But as American courts routinely decide, accusing someone of being A Gay is not defamatory. However, accusing somebody of breaking the law and paying for sex, if the claim is untrue, is defamatory (regardless of whether it’s straight or gay sex), because that harms one’s reputation. Rekers could likely be deemed a public figure, because of his voluntary outspokenness on a number of gay-related issues. There’s also the issue of “narrow scope”: Accusations made against Rekers are narrowly tailored to precisely his activities as a public figure. (That is, nobody is falsely saying Rekers is a bank robber or terrorist, just an anti-gay hypocrite, an arena in which Rekers is undoubtedly a public figure.) Of course, the ultimate defense in defamation cases is the truth. And with Roman on record about what transpired between the two, he’s the greatest asset to anyone charged with defaming Rekers. Or maybe Rekers’ own taped phone call with Roman is better?
How will this affect Bill McCollum? Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is the guy who paid Rekers a portion of $87,000 to testify, as an expert witness, in the state’s case against legalizing adoption for gays. Facebook-y taxpayers are already demanding McCollum get their money back. But McCollum isn’t just Florida’a AG; he also wants to replace Charlie Crist in the governor’s mansion. Attaching McCollum to a scandal like Rekers is a decent way to sink a campaign. It remains to be seen how much of Rekers’ saga will stick to the GOP frontman.
What about Roman’s future? Roman says his parents know that he’s gay, but not that he’s an escort. They will now. From interviews with various newspapers to Jay Leno jokes to a planned CNN interview, his identity will be known around the world. And his parents will certainly find out about the guy’s night job if they haven’t already. Roman also says he may be forced to drop out of school. So while he’s been instrumental in bringing down Rekers, he’s paying a personal price.
Will “Whatever lifts your luggage” catch on? Attributed to Dan Savage, the new catchphrase is akin to “Whatever floats your boat.” But does it have the staying power of “Santorum”?
rocki14
I think there is one more question that needs to be answered, not that I think it changes the hypocrisy angle by 1 iota:
10) Was Rekers set up? After all, there is some third party at the airport waiting to take their photo upon landing. And today we learn Roman was recording post revelation phone calls.
I just think there is still more to know.
Mike L.
Q 2, I think that he believes that as long as he doesn’t go so far as sodomy he’s save from the gates of hell. So he might have rationalized things that way, play but no pokey.
Mike L.
@rocki14: Um I don’t think Roman MADE Rekes go on rentboy and rent him (Roman), that was his decision.
Mark
Keep in mind that Lucien also has a motive to lie about whether they had sex. He is a prostitute. Just because neither party says they had sex doesn’t mean they didn’t have sex.
B
As to QUEERT’s comment: “How did Rekers find Roman? Rekers says he wasn’t trolling Rentboy.com, but so far that’s the only site we know Roman to be advertising his services on. Instead, Rekers says he asked around to colleagues to receive referrals about skilled travel companions/”luggage lifters,” and that’s how he got Roman’s name,” …. that one should be easy to check.
Rekers should be able to provide the names of some colleagues he asked. Since “colleagues” is plural, that doesn’t uniquely identify the culprit (and the culprit might have been a non-colleague), but his claim about asking for a referral in advance should be verifiable. Also, don’t assume he got the referral from someone who used rentboy.com for its intended purpose: Rekers could have been set up, possibly by someone who simply didn’t like him or who was playing a practical joke, or even someone who suspected that Rekers is a closet case and was trying, in a strange way, to help him come out. Or Rekers could have had a gay colleague who accidentally gave him the wrong number or contact. It’s strange, though, that the “I asked a colleague for a referral” excuse didn’t come out immediately. Did he need a few days to think of it?
If someone recommended “Lucien”, however, Rekers should tell who gave him the recommendation if he remembers (he could have just gone around and got a list of phone numbers and names from various people without noting who provided what).
Also, it would be interesting to know how he was photographed at the airport – was the picture taken by a random person or did a newspaper photographer get a tip? Also, how was “Lucien” identified? It’s a lot easier if Rekers was in fact set up.
Cam
“”But if Rekers is indeed gay, and has this young cutie all to himself, why didn’t things go further?””
i’m betting it’s a legal issue, as long as Roman says that he only have him a sensual massage for money he can’t be arrested. If he admits to sex, then you don’t think that the FAmily Research Council would immediatly pressure their friends in law enforcement in FL. to arrest this kid to shut him up?
James Davis
@Cam: I don’t believe it to be a legal issue since no US laws were broken if the paid for sex occurred while they were in Europe. More likely it’s because of embarrassment.
Cam
No. 7 · James Davis
@Cam: I don’t believe it to be a legal issue since no US laws were broken if the paid for sex occurred while they were in Europe. More likely it’s because of embarrassment.
________________
He advertised on an American Website, the deal was made in America etc… it could still absolutly be prosecuted. It may go nowhere, but that wouldn’t be the point. If the Family Research Council put enough pressure on a local sherrif or DA, they could have the kid arrested, force him to hire a lawyer, etc… it would shut him up even though eventually the charges would most likely get thrown out.
Jeremy
Rekers: ugly from inside out!
Cam
John Stewart did a bit on this story. And said that this was the story that had the most people calling into them to ask them to do a story on it. LOL Nice job!
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-may-6-2010/family-research-council-s-european-gaycation
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
First of all you have to step back and realize that anything that comes out of Reeks mouth is nothing but a vile lie. He has been spewing anti Gay rhetoric for decades, writing books, maintaining a website, speaking at rightwing hate-fests, and even being paid as an “expert witness”. All the while being nothing more than a selfhating scumsucking fag. His e-mails to Roman spoke of “looking for the fun to begin”. At one point he did admit to finding Roman on RentBoy. We can begin the countdown until the announcment that he is entering some kind of “sexual rehab” program. The man is despicible and deserves no sympathy. Am hoping that Satan has a very special tortorus dark corner of hell reserved for scum like him. He made his own shit bed and is now wallowing in it and I am watching this drama unfold with untold glee…………
And while we all are enjoying all the giggles this drama is providing, it has the potential to have a truly happy ending for the Gays in Florida and the entire country. Reeks, that pathetic scumbag was paid $60,000.0 by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, who as pointed out above is running for Gov. to prevent a Gay adoption of two kids. The Judge in the case dismissed Reeks testimony as the tainted rants of a lunatic. And gave temporaty custody of the two kids to the Gays. McCollum has promised to appeal the How sweet would it be if this scumbag were to topple McCollum? Certainly it is going to make any other anti-Gay AG carefully consider if they want to risk the political fallout of hiring another Reeks.
This case is Gay Karma working at its very best…….
D'oh, The Magnificent
@Mike L.: This seems correct. I had an ex friend who said to me that she didn’t consider it sex unless penetration was involved. She was also a crazy Christian type.
romeo
Jovanni took the gig for the European trip. It wasn’t a regular gig. Rekers was cheap. He either was unwilling or unable to pay for full service. Jovanni got $75.00 dollars a day and room and board for the ten days, obviously just a fill-in gig. That’s my take. But who knows. Looking forward to Anderson Cooper’s interview with Jovanni.
What’s very funny is the description of the massage. There is absolutely no orthopedic therapy there. LOL
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Reekers is getting desparate:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
JamesStone
Rekers and James Dobson both need to be behind bars!! How many gay teens have committed suicide…how many gay people have married people of the opposite sex because of the teachings of these so called Christians??? They have caused so much misery to so many FAMILIES!
This is hypocrisy beyond belief!!! Folks-this is a perfect picture of self loathing internalized homophobia.
From now on..here is a rule of thumb: If you see an antigay religious zealot or politician who spends most of his time bashing gay people..beware! My straight friends could care less about “gay” stuff. They are too busy living their lives. BUT!!! closet cases do. They are so unhappy with their own lives they want to make people like me who are out and happy as miserable as them. Fight back people!!!!!
B
No. 13 · romeo wrote, “Jovanni took the gig for the European trip. It wasn’t a regular gig. Rekers was cheap. He either was unwilling or unable to pay for full service. Jovanni got $75.00 dollars a day and room and board for the ten days, obviously just a fill-in gig.”
Let’s see. The kid gets a 10-day trip to Europe, free room and board, possibly some other freebies (museum visits, etc.), and $75 dollars per day in exchange for at least one “erotic massage” per day. If he got to spend most of the time doing whatever he wanted, it was probably a good deal for him assuming he just took it to get a cheap vacation.
My cynical guess is that, if Rekers is not lying about referrals, that Rekers found out about the kid’s profession when (if) Rekers was offered something more than an erotic massage for an additional fee.
romeo
@ B: Reker’s story about referrals is crap. Just came out, Jovanni made a call to Prof. Douche with a reporter (unbeknownst to said douche) in the room and put the call on speaker phone. Jovanni asked him why he contacted him through Rentboy. Rekers acknowledged he did. (Am I scooping Queerty?) LOL Rekers tried to pressure him to keep his mouth shut (oh, really!) Bit too late — he’s doing an interview with Coop. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha !!!
jeffree
Since when do people hire “travel companions?” Or even use the word?
If he needed a “guide” 2 show him the sights then the travel agency could of reccommended a local one. There would be no need to share a hotel room with the famous “twin beds” (because “two queens” would have been too suggestive but ball-bustingly funny for my fellow comedians!)
Reekers *may* have needed someone to tote luggage, but in that case, there are porters, bellmen, and helpful strangers.
Luggage handling is not something that needs to be done 24 hours a day.
Sac handling is another story.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Jo-vanni interviewed on Anderson Cooper tonite!!!
B
No. 17 · romeo wrote, “@ B: Reker’s story about referrals is crap. Just came out, Jovanni made a call to Prof. Douche with a reporter (unbeknownst to said douche) in the room and put the call on speaker phone. Jovanni asked him why he contacted him through Rentboy. Rekers acknowledged he did.”
… but his story (given what you just added) is not “crap” but rather the nail in the proverbial coffin! If Rekers in fact did say he got a referral from a colleague, and in reality got it via rentboy.com, it’s proof that Rekers was not only lying but putting out stupid lies – like the boy caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar trying to deny the facts apparent to everyone. That will piss off his “flock” as much as him hiring a rent boy (for whatever purpose).
Rekers still has one way out (but probably will not think of it on his own). He can claim his “colleague” emailed him a URL for contacting Lucien, he clicked on the link (not paying attention to the URL) and went directly to Lucien’s contact information, avoiding cues as the nature of this web site. If there was no such referral in real life, he may have to join Lucien’s profession and give out a freebee to get a colleague to lie for him.
No. 18 · jeffree wrote, “Since when do people hire “travel companions?” Or even use the word?”
In the past, wealthy people traveling would sometimes hire someone to accompany them, whether for company or to help with various arrangements, and this was sometimes portrayed in films. Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_(1940_film) for an example: “Joan Fontaine plays a young woman (who is never named) who works as a companion to the wealthy Edythe Van Hopper (Florence Bates). In Monte Carlo, she meets the aristocratic widower Maximilian (Maxim) de Winter (Laurence Olivier) and they fall in love. Within weeks, they decide to get married.”
Mike L.
@Mike L.: Ha I figured it could be, since this guy is so into the bible and thinks he will go to hell for anal he might’ve stayed away from that (I’m sure he did it in one point in his life). THere is this new guy calling himself “Chaz” who says the same thing about what Rekes wanted as J-Vanni said, just sensual/sexual caresses and massages no anal , it’s up on joemygod. Don’t know how someone can rationalize that they’re not gay if only they stay away from anal when getting sensual touching down there from guys (with who knows how many guys, Rekes is old so that’s a few decades to cover).
He’s just a semi-celibate closet case.
David Ehrenstein
Question #7 is the most important. We can joke about Rekers until the Disney Cows come home, and as Craig Ferguson has pointed out a homophobe who’s secretly gay isn’t news. What’s news is the money he was paid for lying testimony that ruined people’s lives.
A question that has yet to be answered: Is Rekers now or has he ever been married.
Yes to a woman.
And how many kids has he adopted? I’m not talking rentboys, now I talking actual kids.
Patrick
Roman has said that the email he got from Rekers was a response to the link on his rentboy.com page.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@David Ehrenstein: I am 100% certain there are a lot more chapters to be revealed in this delicious drama. George Reeks has a lot to say and write about young boys and even wrote a book on how to prevent your son from turning Gay. Plus he adopted a 12 year old boy………..
I predict many very small skeletons are going to be soon tumbling out of this vile scumbag’s closet
B
QUEERTY: Will “Whatever lifts your luggage” catch on? Attributed to Dan Savage, the new catchphrase is akin to “Whatever floats your boat.” But does it have the staying power of “Santorum”?
… In the very funny Steven Colbert spoof on Rekers, he replaced luggage with “sac”, so we have “Whatever lifts your sac”, which sounds a bit more catchy.
scott ny'er
I hope that Roman has a good lawyer. I am concerned that he might be getting himself in trouble and he won’t be able to dig out of it.
Ogre Magi
If there was a sex tape, I sure wouldn’t want to see it. That would be like Gollum getting it on with Legolas!
rudy
I wonder when we find out that FRC’s Tony Perkins has more in common with the lying late actor than his name.
B
QUEERTY: “Rekers says he wasn’t trolling Rentboy.com” … you can claim you weren’t trolling rentboy.com if someone told you, “check out this hot guy Lucien on rentboy.com. Using a site to look for a specific person is not “trolling” the site – not technically.
So Yo
Question: How can Rekers expect people to believe that he hired a skinny twink like that to literally lift his luggage? Oh wait…I just remembered who actually listens to him. Nevermind.
Gus
In the tortured logic of the Christian closet, if there in no penetration, you are not lying with a man as you would a woman, therefore you are not gay. It is always just a massage…
jeffree
The Anderson Cooper “interview” was a total bust IMO. I think CNN’s legal dep’t probably scrubbed it up: no hardhitting questions, really. No new news.
Rachel Maddow would have had the “cojones” to get “to the bottom” of the story. Not because she’s a fully out Lesbian, but because she tolerates no BS & cuts thru inconsistent storylines.
Reker’s adoption of at least one young man (age 16) still has me worried. As a vocal witness against adoption by Gays/ Lesbians — & Native Americans !! — his own hypocrisy is damning.
@B: Thanks! Yep, I’m familiar with “travel companions” from books, but really in this case, The Professor/ Preacher hired someone with NO international experience (tho’ he may speak Spanish being Puerto Rican) & at 5’8″ tall and 130 lbs isnt exactly built for heavy baggage lifting….. 😀
The “fact” that the hour long daily massage was supposedly in the contract betwween them is still curious, Jo-Van doesnt exactly have a license or certificate in “massage therapy” to treat a ill man whose undergone hernia surgeries !
Bill Perdue
@Gus: @D’oh, The Magnificent:
Didn’t Clinton say something like that about the stains on Monicas dress and the gooey stuff in her hair?
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: @David Ehrenstein: Is he growing his own rentboys?
Obiwan
What exactly is going on here is not an isolated incident either for George Alan Rekers, nor within the Conservative Evangelical movement. So much of this movement is predicated on denial of reality and denial of truth. Denial is not only against the choice or nature question about homosexuality, but also about science in general. Conservative Evangelicals are definitely against the theory of Evolution and will find ways to deny its validity, even though scientific evidence increasing validates this theory. On a parallel front, they deny the nature component of homosexuality and deny this reality even within themselves. This denial manifests itself if celebrated homophobes such as Mr. Rekers, or Evangelical superstars such as Ted Haggard not being able to suppress the nature of their homosexuality and secretly acting out on their sexuality, while attacking homosexuality publicly. This will not be the end of these kind of hypocritical scandals within Conservative Evangelicalism.
mikeandrewsdantescove
I’ve had a change of opinion on Jo-vanni Roman after watching his CNN interview with Randi Kaye. The contract he has with George is very damaging.
Plus, he was completely underpaid! Mr. Rekers paid $75 per day to have Jo-vanni to carry his bags, give massage and hang out with him for 8 hours per day including 2 meals.
JJ
Trevor Adams –
http://promotemusic.blogspot.com/
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Bill Perdue: Rim Shot!, on a serious note I am ascared that may turn out to be true…….
jeffree
Two problems need resolving:
1. Jo-Van needs a lawyer. Hello Gloria Allred!
2. The Reker of Rentboys [aka The Reverend professor] needs a good PR agent: How about Bragman, the guy who “masterfully” engineered the coming out of Chely Wright?
Kidding, of course.
Not kidding:JoVan needs media training, an attorney & possibly — security guards. He needs help staying in college, people he can trust and friends outside of rentboy.com. Let’s please NOT chew up & spit out our young gays/ lesbians.
Rekers needs an exorcist & a stint in Reparative Therapy [okay I’m kidding again on him].
jimi
That’s very funny story. In fact many anti gay activist are gays, and use their activity to hide his homosexuality.
Well this is the life.
Jimi
http://rentguy4fun.com
Ogre Magi
EEEEWWWW, can you immagine touching that nasty old man’s anus?
B
No. 31 · Gus wrote, “In the tortured logic of the Christian closet, if there in no penetration, you are not lying with a man as you would a woman, therefore you are not gay. It is always just a massage…”
As a point of order, it is not exactly the “tortured logic of the Christian closet” because young straight Christian women have been known to use the same “logic”. Those that have taken “virginity pledges” sometimes define sex as vaginal intercourse only. They also give themselves an exception for anal intercourse: the rule in Levicitus was not “thou shall not lie with a woman as with a man.” It may be splitting hairs, but when sufficiently horny, any hair that has to be split to end up in bed will be split if at all possible.
luca
bella cosa direi