The Dandy + The Daddy Bear
Two Of My Favorite Influences + Inspirations
On this day, several of my favorite men were born.
Two of themāthe photographer-designer-wunderkind Cecil Beaton and the soulful singer-songwriter Marc Broussardāhold a special place in my heart and history.
I first āmetā Cecil Beaton in a used bookstore in 1985.
Armed with $10 saved from my allowance, I bought a small stack of art and photo books, including The Best of Beaton, publishedābefore I was bornāin 1968.
The book was my introduction to Mr. Beatonās photography and design workāa world brimming with elegance, whimsy, and wonder. His motley mix of work felt both foreign and familiar, like a language I didnāt fully understand but instinctively recognized.
Was Cecil Beaton gay tooā¦maybe?
Why did I buy the book? Besides its $1 price tag and its beautiful photos, I was drawn to the colorful, hand-drawn title on the coverāand recognized Truman Capoteās name from 1970s talk shows. I was just a kid, but little did I know how much Beaton and Capoteātwo of the most iconic dandies of the 20th centuryāwould shape my sense and sensibilities in the years to come.
I first āmetā Marc Broussard in a music store in 2005. I was on a tight budget, so I stuck to the used CD section for my retail therapy. Among my haul was Carencro, Broussardās debut album, released in 2024.
Why did I buy it? Well, beyond its $1 price tag and Broussardās good looks, a friend had recommended the album. I hadnāt heard it yet, but I figured, why not? The man may have caught my eye, but the moment I hit play, his voice caught my ear, heart, and imagination.
What. A. Voice.
Broussardās soulful growl and heartfelt lyrics spoke to me in a way few artists have.
Tracks like āHomeā and āGavinās Songā instantly became part of my personal soundtrack. Nearly twenty years later, Carencro remains an all-time favorite.
And the fact that Broussard, a straight man a decade my junior, has morphed into quite the handsome ādaddyā bear is just the icing on the beefcake.
When people ask me what my ātypeā is, I often think of these two men as opposite ends of my personal attraction spectrum. Cecil Beaton represents refinement, wit, and a sense of theatricality, while Marc Broussard embodies soulful authenticity, rugged charm, and raw talent.
The truth is, most men can catch my eye. For all kinds of reasons, I find the male form endlessly beautiful and inspiring. My eyes love to roam and wander. But creativity and talent always manage to get my full attention.
So hereās to the Dandy and the Daddy Bearāand to all the men out there who remind us of the many shades, shapes, sizes, and stages of masculinity.
Letās hear it for all the boys, dudes, guys, and men!
Clint šāļø
P.S. Yesterday, I wrote a post about how I started on Substack, exactly one year ago. Itās been an amazing first year. Thank YOU for being part of it! š„³ā¤ļø
ON THIS DAY
BIRTHDAYS = HIGHLIGHTS
1904 = Cecil Beaton = English photographer, diarist, and designer š
1915 = Mark Goodson = American Family Feud and The Price Is Right creator
1919 = Andy Rooney = American soldier, journalist, critic, and tv personality
1925 = Yukio Mishima = Japanese writer, actor, and model š
1941 = Faye Dunaway = American actor and producer
1943 = Holland Taylor = American actor š
1949 = Lawrence Kasdan = American filmmaker
1963 = Steven Soderbergh = American filmmaker
1964 = Shepard Smith = American tv host and journalist š
1968 = LL Cool J = American rapper and actor
1969 = Jason Bateman = American actor, director, and producer
1982 = Marc Broussard = American singer-songwriter
EVENTS = HIGHLIGHTS
1900 = Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca premieres n Rome.
1952 = Jim Kepner and members of the Mattachine Soceity in LA discuss the idea of publishing a magazine for the LGBT community. They named their organization One, Inc. and put out the first issue in January, 1953. In 1956, One opened the Institute for Homophile Studies. Today, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at USC is the largest repository of LGBTQ materials in the world.
1952 = Today, NBC's morning news program, debuts with host Dave Garroway.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
PHOTO + QUOTES OF THE DAY
āBe daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.ā
Cecil Beaton
āPerhaps the world's second-worst crime is boredom; the first is being a bore.ā
Cecil Beaton
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