Two more male models have come forward with allegations against Rick Day, the fashion photographer who has had work published in renowned brands GQ, Vogue Italia, Elle, and DNA. The allegations come just one week after two other models accused Day of sexual assault.
Michael and Zach Zakar are gay twins and male models. They shared their story with Gay Star News, describing being sexually assaulted by Day during a photo shoot on October 12, 2016.
On the day of the shoot, the pair were shot individually. First, Michael claims that Day touched his anus, before pulling out his own penis and trying to push Michael’s head down.
“I tried to joke my way out because Rick is a great photographer and I wanted the shots back,” he tells GSN. “Again, I joked and said ‘Maybe later’ – assuming I’d never see him again.”
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When Michael was finished, he reportedly warned his brother Zach by whispering to him, “Be careful.”
Zach recounts a similar story, sharing that, “Before we start shooting, [Day] bluntly says: ‘I’m going to shoot you, then you’re going to make me shoot.’ I nervously laughed because I didn’t know if he was serious or not.”
Zach claims Day “exposed himself a couple of times” and “got way too handsy on just about every part of my body.”
“[Day] touched my asshole” and asked him to “perform sexual acts.”
The pair never saw any of the images from the photo shoot.
Last week, Barrett Pall and Kai Braden claimed they were groomed and sexually assaulted by Day.
Pall, who was 19 at the time, says he met Day for a shoot, which was held at Day’s apartment. It was just the two of them. While there, he claims Day got handsy and eventually performed an unwanted sex act on him. Braden tells a similar story. He claims he was assaulted by Day in 2006, when he was just 18.
Day has yet to make any official comment regarding Pall and Braden’s allegations. After Gay Star News reached out to him regarding the Zakar twins’ allegations, he contacted them through Instagram.
He wrote them:
Hey guys, I just got an email from a reporter. I remember you guys as sweet and as flirtatious as I was. I am sorry I caused you guys any pain. I was not aware that that was how you left feeling. I wanted to reach out to you and say how sorry I am if I caused you ANY pain. Rick.
We have reached out to Day ourselves with a request for an interview and will update this post if he gets back to us.
Greg
“Michael claims that Day touched his anus, before pulling out his own and trying to push Michael’s head down.” What kind of photo shoot was this where the photographer would be able to touch his anus? Then he pulled out his own anus? What?
Chrisk
I think we need to redefine the word “modeling”. Lol
Kangol
Maybe Queerty edited the article, because I see: “First, Michael claims that Day touched his anus, before pulling out his own penis and trying to push Michael’s head down.”
Day touched the model’s behind (and more clearly, his butthole), then pulled out his own penis and tried to get the model to go down on him. He attempted to do the same with the model’s twin brother.
Why is this so hard to understand? It’s inappropriate behavior however you look at it; the models were there to get their pictures taken, not perform sex acts with this creepy photographer. Unwanted sexual touching is considered a crime in most jurisdictions, isn’t it?
Heywood Jablowme
Damn you guys, you made Queerty correct it (apparently) and I wish I’d seen the original version!
Pull out your own anus = chiropractor’s challenge.
Greg
I quoted what it said. Yes Kangol, the article was corrected.
RobtheElder
I cheated, I guess, because I read Greg’s comment before I started writing this comment. With Greg, I wonder what kind of photos would have been taken in Day’s home. If these were naked photos, gay men should have expected that the shoot might have turned sexual. There should have been no insistence, but the suggestion could have been presented and let drop. I’ve been gay for a long time, but I don’t know what gay men might do anus to anus. They don’t exactly fit together as a penis and an anus might. Maybe Day owes somebody an explanation. I’d like to have that explanation, too, if you can arrange passing it on… RobtheElder
Kangol
Huh? Rick Day is a professional photographer, if his career is any guide, and should be expected to behave professionally. Whether the shoot was nude or not, there should be NO expectation that it “might have turned sexual.” Many a photographer has a home studio or space where they might take test shots, and again, whether nude or not, the models, if they’re there for photos and not explicitly for sex, should expect professional behavior from the photographer. Also, I think Queerty must have edited the paragraph above, because Day’s anal touching and exposing his penis seem clear enough from what’s written.
StraightnNarrow
It is apparent that people who like to blame others or the circumstances for their own misfortunes and those of us who believe in personal responsibility and standing firm on your ground will never see eye to eye on this matter.
marq
I agree with you. It would be different if they were 11 and 12, but they were 18 and 19! They were in control. Regretting what you did in the past doesn’t change what you chose to do.
This is all part of the juvenilisation of adults in especially US culture. They were “groomed”, and he was “just” 18?
Heywood Jablowme
Yes, and it’s rather mysterious how no one seems to have “groomed” them to become models in the first place at such a tender age. Apparently that happened by magic.
Curtispsf
StaightnNarrow – What the hell are you talking about? Blaming the victim(s) of unwanted sexual advances? It seems that both guys did, indeed, stand firm on their ground and repelled a predator, so how EXACTLY are the victims blaming “OTHERS” for their own misfortunes? Are you somehow implying that because they were models, they understood that their bodies were available for the taking? If so, you’re really f*cked up. Someone’s got his head up his ass and I’ll give you a hint: It’s not either one of the twins.
Agent9902
Looks like Miss Day needs to start packing her fashions!
Jaroslaw
What does this Rick Day look like? I have tried several things and can’t get his photo to show up on the internet. If anyone can post a link, I am curious. Ditto the comments these guys are adults. Just say no and keep moving.
rray63
I would never accuse a victim but this article does leave questions. I looked up these men’s age and depending on which source you go by it’s between 23 and 25. So if this took place two years ago, they would have been between 21 and 23.
Someone explain to me how a grown man (they were not child models obviously) allowed another man to touch his anus? Is this something one of you would allow? Or is the photographer a giant of a man that could have hurt them physically, or perhaps had a weapon that was not mentioned.
Another point I have to ask about, would you let your brother (twin, extremely close and protective of) go in after a man has just fingered your anus, leaving him to possibly face the thing same? And in this case according to them, they both had their anus fingered. Maybe I’m reading something wrong?
Perhaps they are only 5′ tall and cannot defend themselves? Though neither of them mentioned feeling threatened at all, just that this man is a sexual assault offender. is there a man among you that would let a man finger your anus? Would you allow your twin brother to go in under these circumstances? I know it’s not popular to ask these questions but damn. Shouldn’t common sense ever be used when you read this stuff.
I have to wonder about this story, it doesn’t make sense on several levels. I’m sure most of you will attack me for asking the obvious but there it is. Hope it doesn’t offend you to greatly.
Tony1129
I totally agree with you rray63, this doen’t make any sense at all, there for sure holes in this story. I could care less who attemps to attack me, you raise valid points.
Mick406
rray63
I’ve got to agree with you. My radar tells me these two guys are not novices to gay sex. When you are so intent on displaying your body, then you most likely have extra-curricular intentions. Someone this narcissistic is probably flaunting other body parts too for either active pleasure or getting off from the passive exposure. Their age, and the fact that others are jumping on the accusation bandwagon tells me their motives are tainted with the desire for hush money or lawsuit money. They are piling on with the rest of the guys, probably hoping for a big payday. And who in the world would stand still long enough for someone to get deep into their anus? Patting of asses and rubbing around can come quickly, but not the work it requires to bury fingers in such hard to reach places. This sob story doesn’t fly with me.
trelld
I feel bad for them. What I think is you have young guys maybe just getting into the business who go to a modeling shoot and are put in uncomfortable situations. It seems outrageous, but if you are modeling nude, in certain poses a person may be able to touch your anus without you expecting it. What I’ve learned from the metoo movement is that powerful, rich people get away with abusing individuals because they’re powerful and rich. They have the ability to make or break a career. It takes a lot of confidence and chutzpa to be able to confront or report someone in that situation, something a 18 year old or 19 year old may not have. Look at Harvey Weinstein. He allegedly assaulted many famous actresses; if they can’t stand up to someone given all they have, what makes you think 2 unknown models could?
bradleyphillip
These guys wouldn’t even be models if they weren’t twins. Their Instagram is cheesy. Like it is shocking that a photographer would be aggressive. Think these young men must have been very naive when they first started out or maybe just using this for more exposure, attention. I’ve read a few things Barrett Pall has posted, pretty much a head case. And why can’t we find out what this photographer looks like. Is he that hideous?
Young Timer
Well, indeed!
nunya
“I tried to joke my way out because Rick is a great photographer and I wanted the shots back,”
People will compromise their integrity to chase fame, fortune, and notoriety, then whine when it doesn’t come. If they were so appalled at his behavior they could have stormed out the second a finger touched a sphincter. He’s not the only famous photographer in the world. No sympathy here.
nitejonboy
Damn, he pulled out his own anus ? That had to have hurt!!
bill195463
ha!
nitejonboy
I wish I could touch their anuses, but I’d ask first. It’s just polite.
LVAirBoy2
Maybe I am bad but I just don’t have much sympathy for these male ‘victims’ of sexual assault. I understand the females because they’re sensitive about that kind of stuff and a man can easily overpower a woman so I can understand a female being scared when receiving unwanted advances but gay men get real…
djmcgamester
I don’t think this is a surprise. Pretty sure this isn’t unusual behavior for photographers. Sort of like the casting couch with actresses (and some actors, apparently). It’s terrible that they have to go through with this kind of stuff.
bill195463
I don’t not believe the twins, but you know anyone can say they’ve been touch in a prop. I could from the 80’s. My boss always approached me for sex. I finally had to tell him I might have AIDS to get him to stop. That worked for about a month. I didn’t have anyone to go too. Neither of us we’re out, you couldn’t be in the 80’s.
So for the twins or anyone, tell on these people right away, don’t wait until your careers are almost over. And beside the guy thought they were coming onto him. I don’t know any of these people, but I believe the photographer. Though I do think it’s strange they went to his house.
prarie pup
This type of behavior has been going on for decades. I recently read an interview with Joan (Dynasty) Collins. In it, she stated when she was an up-and-coming actress in the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe HERSELF warned her about the “casting couch” and which directors, producers, etc. expected certain favors from an actress–or actor–if he or she wanted to get ahead.
Much like law enforcement, the entertainment industry is one that has proven time and time again, decade over decade, that it is incapable of policing itself.