Damn Shame

“[An] entertaining debut. . . . These heartfelt meditations on sexual shame in a heteronormative culture will enlighten readers of all identities.” —Publishers Weekly “I loved David’s journey to zero shame about his body, his sexuality and himself. Damn Shame has my ideal combo of racy, illuminating and idiosyncratic storytelling that transports you into a stranger’s life and mind. And—or beware—there is a lot of penis!” —Alan Cumming, actor and author of Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life    “In Damn Shame, David Pevsner guides us through a wonderfully appealing chronicle of his life as a performer, writer, sex worker, nude model and a gay guy making his way on his own terms. Rather than oversharing, he’s a delightful host to the most entertaining adventures.” —Paul Rudnick, actor and author of Jeffrey   “[Pevsner’s] honest and emotional memoir, Damn Shame, sings as it takes you through his awkward coming of age, his time as a ‘mature model,’ and his ongoing success in erotic art, as he’s come to embrace his own choices and feel comfortable in his own often exposed skin. Bravo, David. Encore!” —Michael Musto, journalist   “In deft, vivid prose, David Pevsner recounts his surprising journey from awkward teen to musical theater phenom to part-time male escort and fearless sexual advocate. Written with sly humour and at times eye-popping candour, Damn Shame is a compelling portrait of one gay man’s struggle for self-acceptance in a country that trumpets liberation but is all too beholden to its Puritan past.” —Doug Wright, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of I Am My Own Wife   “Who could imagine that a book which deals unapologetically with exhibitionism, LGBT ageism and sex work could be so filled with charm and self-deprecating good humour?” —Charles Busch, actor and author of The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife