This year's contestants were unveiled at J Lounge last Friday.

I don't recognize any of these gays, which means Mirateca has actually succeeded in developing a line of gay robots. Just kidding. Or at least I think I am. I can't verify that these models are actually human; I was filming with the VPD on Friday and had to miss the soirée. I would love to hear some comments from anyone who was there.

And yes, Terry Costa, that is a direct invitation for you to write something wowzy here on xtra.ca.

For more info on the contestants, click here.

Nine DJs. Five Davie St bars. Five charities supported by your buying a $10 pass. Bitch, please. If you are doing anything tonight, it's this:

Now this is the first part of a two-month competition that culminates in a Vancouver Pride weekend battle on August 2. Up for stakes: a two-year management contract, a cross-country promotional tour and the kind of exposure a newbie DJ famewhore could only dream of. This is another Terry Costa/Mirateca production (the boys who brought you Gay Top Model) so entertainment of some form or another is guaranteed.

Tonight, you find the nine contenders taking shifts at Oasis, 1181, Celebrities, J-Lounge and Score. You can find a complete schedule for who is playing here. If you want to do some homework before you go, you can find sample mixes from all nine DJs here.

I'm doing double duty this week and covering the event for Xtra Vancouver. I'm interviewing the nine candidates and they had until Friday to respond to me. As of last night, only six responded in time for me to write this blog, so as far as I'm concerned, here are the six to watch, in the order they got back to me:

DJ Marc Tattoo

Describe your sound in three words: "happy upbeat hiNRG"

Personal connection: None, though this guy sent me seven emails in two days. In three words: too many emails. 

DJ Marty Funkhauser

Describe your sound in three words: "funk fuelled mayhem"

Personal connection: I've known this guy since I moved to Vancouver. Sure, he's a total piece of shit, but rumour has it he's going to be wearing the same silver lamé Elvis suit tonight that I once saw him in at Shambhala a few years ago. Oh yeah. He spins vinyl and is damn good at it. Excited to see him in a large venue.

DJ Jeffery Michael

Describe your sound in three words: "hard and dirty"

Personal connection: Celebrities Nightclub's wunderkind is a young risk taker and knows how to move an audience. You gotta appreciate that. He's also been subjected to a community-wide slanderous online campaign by someone desperate for attention, something I can personally relate to quite well.

DJ Christoker

Describe your sound in three words: "vocals baseline disco"

Personal connection: His preinterview was the funniest of the six. DJ-stylist, yes, DJ-deadbeat, totally...but I haven't met any DJ-comedians yet. Eh? EH?

DJ Lisa Delux

Describe your sound in three words: "multi-genred undeniable dancing"

Personal connection: DJ Delux has put in her time at venues across Vancouver and knows her way around a DJ booth. She's got name recognition and has the cred to deserve. Excited to have a chance to hear her do her shit.

DJ Mitchell Bederman

Describe your sound in three words: "dancy fancy unicorn"

Personal connection: I went on a weird date with this guy last year. When he told me he was in a rock-style band but produced electronic music and DJ'ed on the side, I instantly thought he fell into the I'm a photographer-DJ-promoter, "I'm-full-of-bullshit-and-wear-striped-tank-tops" category of gay guy. Whoopsie! It turns out he was serious!

Remember: with a $10 pass, you will be able to vote for your favourite DJ and won't have to wait in line at any of these venues (not that there are lineups at four of the five anyway). More importantly, you'll be supporting Friends for Life Society, HIM (Health Initiative for Men), Qmunity (BC’s Queer Resource Centre), Team Vancouver and the Vancouver Pride Society with your purchase, so get out and get judging.

These are your Top 10 for 2010, Vancouver:

These are your Gay Top Model 2010 delegates, as announced Wednesday night at Charlie David's book launch at Little Sister's. The next event will be at Celebrities on Thursday, April 1, 2010. Get your tickets now. This is bound to sell out.

Here are some shots from the Wednesday event:

Charlie David reading from Boy Midflight

Terry Costa announcing the final 10 for Gay Top Model 2010.

Charlie David and Me... oh... yeah.

After much speculation, I'm here to tell that she's back folks! SHE'S BACK!

She being Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model (conveniently shortened this year to Gay Top Model - and amen for that!)

This is the third year of top model shenanigans and auditions were held this past Saturday, Jan 23rd. Although I couldn't personally attend (up filming for Don't Quit Your Gay Job til about 5am the night before = no show from yours truly), there were some familiar faces in the crowd, like:

(Photo by Chad Walters)

Shit girl! Isn't that 2008 Gay Top Model winner Aaron Ursacki? And still as cute as a button it seems. And a Parasuco model? GET REAL!

I have it on good authority that Gay Top Model 2009 wasn't there, however...I wonder what happened to that guy? (Anyone seen Calan recently?)

After being involved in last year's competition in a semi-judicial capacity, I'm pretty sure that I will be equally addicted to this year's sexy shenanigans. I have a vested (or preferrably unvested) interest. After all, Gay Top Model blends pagentry with spectacle. If that's not quintessential gayness, I don't know what is. 

Eighteen hopefuls showed up for audition day:

(Photo by Chad Walters) 

For individual photos, click here. Eliminations are taking place at Charlie David's book launch this Wednesday at Little Sisters, stop by from 7 to 8pm and find out who is has a chance of making it to the top this year. I'll be hosting so come down and want to personally extend an invitation.

Since I'm not judging this year, I'm free to tell you that my money is on these three:

Riley

(Photo by Chad Walters) 

Fraser

(Photo by Chad Walters) 

Michael

(Photo by Chad Walters) 

This competition is about votes though, so if these three or any of the other models want to make it through, they will have to bring their friends to the finale...

See you Wednesday!

Who doesn't?

The Terry Costa Experience is back, people! And he's bringing ROUND THREE of Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model back with him.

Are you ready to claw, scratch, bite and maim your way to number one? Last year, if I had been one of the contestants, I'm pretty sure I would have pushed one of my competitors in front of a bus...

...in the spirit of competing to win, of course, and not for some other spitefully petty reason I assure you.

Will I be invited back to judge? Or maybe even to...gasp...HOST? Who can say. Only time will tell.

Rumour has it that last year's winner (Calan Breckon) has managed to stick-handle his Gay Top Model notoreity into a role on a new paranormal series currently shooting in Vancouver. My congratulations to him!

And I encourage you all to apply. Here's the press release:

GAY TOP MODEL 2010

Be a part of the most amazing project. Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model team is now working for the third season of the event that raises funds for the charity Friends for Life. "It is fun, educational and life-turning for many of the men that enter the competition," says producer Terry Costa.

Auditions are January 17th but contestants that apply early get to learn all about the project and receive weekly tips and fun facts that will help throughout the process. "The team becomes a family working towards the same goal, an amazing project that is truly with a community spirit," adds Costa. "The theme for this season is sports and the contest official photographer, Nicholas Jang, is back to work his magic on this now popular challenge."

Contestants must be Canadian, 19+ males that identify as gay/bisexual. The contest is open to anyone living within the Metro Vancouver area that qualifies for the competition. On January 17th the finalists will be chosen. This short-listed group of model hopefuls will then go through a series of challenges, mostly to do with photo shoots, and prepare a live spectacle show for the grand finale of GAY TOP MODEL 2010 that will happen at Celebrities Nightclub on Thursday, April 1st, 2010.

Applying is very easy; all contestants need to do is send an email message to info@mirateca.com with contact details and a recent photo; no experience necessary.

All official details are available on the website www.gaytopmodel.com or look for GAY TOP MODEL 2010 on facebook.