Trent Vanegas has taken blogging to the next level over at Pink Is The New Blog. We’re addicted to it like we are to crack. Trent took time from his fabulous life to catch up with Bradford Shellhammer, one of the first people to link to Pink back in the day, and dish on Britney, Madonna, and the differences between gay men and 15 year old girls.
What got you into blogging?
I started blogging because I wanted to get into the habit of writing something creative everyday. I figured if I did it online I would feel a sort of obligation to keep going. It became a daily ritual for me and I still look forward to writing every day.
How did you first come up with the idea of captioning pictures?
I worked on a creative writing piece for a Master’s program where I cut out pictures from magazines and pasted them into a blank book and then wrote all around and over the pictures. That was sort of where the whole thing got started. I played around with different fonts and settled on the stencil font — it became my way of putting my stamp on the pictures.
What is the craziest blog-stalking story can you tell us?
Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a blog-stalking story but it’s the “craziest” story I’ve got. Last May I received an email from a friend of a Pink reader who received a Trent birthday cake. He sent me a link that lead to a picture of the cake. I never imagined that I would ever see my face on a birthday cake. I felt like Batman for a brief moment. It was at that moment that I realized that I had become something different to readers of my blog. I became the face of Pink is the new Blog. While I am very flattered that someone would do this, I still do not feel that I am anything special at all. I’m just a guy with a blog.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Trent on Madge and Brit after the jump.
So, what is Madonna like up close?
Madonna was surprisingly warm and inviting. I never thought I’d get to actually talk to her. I was invited to TRL on the day she was to appear and I figured I’d get to be in the same room with her and that would be it. I managed to make a few friends at Warner Bros. Records and they were nice enough to hook me up with a 1-888-2Confess t-shirt, which I wore for the show. Madonna’s manager plucked me from the crowd and asked me if they could take a picture of me with Madonna. As if I would say, No thanks. I am fairly certain that Madonna had never read or even heard of my blog but she was very sweet nonetheless. I just stood there for the picture but she was the one who pulled me close for the shot. She asked me where I was from and when I said Detroit she brightened up and yelled out, “See? The coolest people come from Detroit.” I’m not sure what I expected when I was being led backstage to meet Madonna but her warmth and kindness was extremely comforting. I can’t even say it was a dream come true because never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d get the chance to meet her up-close.
What other blogs do you read and which are your favorites?
I love Towleroad, Stereogum, Thighs Wide Shut and Oh La La … and Queerty of course. I am a huge fan of Oh No They Didn’t! The fact that a community of gossip lovers from all over the world can come together and just dish 24 hours a day is very cool. I like reading stuff that makes me laugh and/or think.
What is next in store for Trent?
Well, I hope to move things forward in the coming year. I’ve met some amazing people with some great ideas for my next step. The blog will always be a part of who I am and I still plan on writing every day as always … but sometime last summer I decided to try and make a go of doing something more substantial. Don’t be surprised if you see more TV stuff in the coming year.
Who is your favorite subject you write about?
Actually, I like writing about everything … the hook-ups, the break-ups, the fashion faux pas’, and the scandals. It’s all fun for me. Celebrities enjoy so much wealth and privilege that I really enjoy playing with their indiscretions. They like going out, we like seeing what they look like when they go out — it’s a win/win situation. Celebs love the attention they get, even if sometimes it’s negative attention. Let’s face it; if they really didn’t like people talking about them all the time then they’d be in a different line of work.
Britney and Kevin, will it last?
For the longest time I was sure they weren’t gonna last. I love me some Britney but, left to her own devices, she is known to make some very bad decisions. I was sure this marriage was one of those bad decisions that she would come to regret. Since the birth of Sean Preston my opinion has changed. It appears that Britney and Kevin really suit one another, which is a shame because I now highly doubt we’ll ever get our good ol’ Brit Brit back.
Do you still have a day job? If you don’t when did you give it up?
I no longer have a day job. My teaching contract ended last September right around the time that I was getting contacted for various projects. Erik and I are doing well for right now but, if things go according to plan, I should be working in a new field very soon.
Who reads you more, 15 year old girls or gays?
Is there a difference?
