HOOK: E-zine By, For, and About Men in the Sex Industry

Daddybear Rob, aka Jake Rowe, comes to the growing bear porn video market from his standing as International Daddybear 1999. A crowning achievement for this Oregon bear, he took to the camera quickly - but not without having to ask some probing questions about tops, bottoms, and sex with men.

HOOK: When did you first see porn?

Daddybear Rob: The first movie I saw was when I was 15 years old, was out of my brothers collection he had stashed in his room. I think was called "Screwples." I thought it was damn hot, really looking at the guy's plowing these chicks. Turned me on when they came. Made me realize that I didn't care about women and liked men.

HOOK: What did you think being in a porn would be like?

DR: It was a fantasy of mine. I got off watching the old Colt and Falcon videos, the good ol’ day's where they were fucking raw, sharing cum. That in mind is what I considered sex.

HOOK: Can you go into more detail about what makes "sex" for you...and then what would you consider to be the alternative?

DR: Being a pigman with my sex partner, or lover. Total uninhibited sex, giving of each other through cum and piss. I need the bonds to make that connection with a man. Even though we know the risks, it's a decision that I've made and comfortable with. A decision my partner makes as well. To me, it is openness. I want my partner to express what he wants. We talk about it, and we know exactly what we're gonna do. There aren't any surprises that would take away from it. To me, if you have it down, what you want to do, your experience is gonna be hot. Of course, [grinning] I'm always up for a surprise.

HOOK: Does sex with condoms feel then like you aren't able to be as open? Am trying to narrow down what makes a 'hot' experience for you.

DR: Yeah to me using condoms is a barrier. I want to feel the man I'm with. There's nothin' hotter than fucking a guy raw. I'm sure that many guys will disagree with me, but dammit, it's the way I feel. I do use condoms when asked and respect the individual.

HOOK: What was it like actually doing your first on-camera experience?

DR: My first video which was released a couple months ago from Brush Creek Media is called Bear Ball. I was kinda nervous about it. Wasn't exactly sure what they wanted, and What I was supposed to do. Like Am I gonna be on Top or will they want me to bottom. Since I had my International DaddyBear title, all my friends in Portland were telling me, “Jesus, Rob, don't bottom. You'll be permanently marked as a bottom.” That's bull. So, after our dinner meeting discussing the video, I met up with this hot bear, an escort, and chatted what we wanted to do. Well, ended up the two of us goin' round and round with the top isssue. So I said, “Fuck, you know I'm here to have fun and make some money. I'm not gonna let this ruin my trip.” I decided to bottom for the fucker! I enjoyed what he did [grins again].

HOOK: Does bottoming carry a negative significance to you?

DR: For a short time, it did. Then, I started listening to myself. I'm a versatile guy, and there's nothing wrong with bottoming. I don't give a rat’s ass what guys think - that it's not butch to take it up the ass. Hey buddy, it takes a man to get it up the butt. My belief has alway's been to ask “How can you be a good top without knowing to be a good bottom?” If you're pleasing your boy, then you should know how it feels. In my circle of friends, it matters. I think they are more concerned on the image thing, but in my latest video ["Bear Munch" to be released early 2001], I was versatile. Got fucked in a sling, and then turned around and fucked my boy, Hawk. There are quite a few guys that are caught up with being just top or just bottom. I know they're being honest with themselves like I'm being versatile. Personally, I'm proud to be versatile. I can ALWAY'S have a good time. Our community's quite good at compartmentalizing identity. And you gotta remember that our role models are COMPLETELY different than straight. Some of that might stem from trying to find ourselves.

HOOK: Many times in the leather community, people are forced to put on a certain 'look' that I call hyper-masculine. In that, they sort of overextend the stereotypes of what being a 'guy' means. While the bottoms are frequently feminized in different ways, do you ever get concerned that this whole process might reaffirm a great many of the homophobic principles of heterosexual culture?

DR: Yeah, I do. I think our community can be worse and more vicious than the straights. We're more condescending and homophobic to each other.Years ago i took a human sexuality course in college. We went through everything, and when I came out of it, I had some homophobia issues. It made me look at it, and realized how silly I was to hold on to stuff. Dammit, we're all unique.

HOOK: Does your image matter to you?

DR: Yeah I suppose it does. I want people to know who the real Rob is. More than being a title holder and porn star, I'm a down to earth guy, an honest man who loves having passionate sex with men.