Ever since Audrey Hepburn downed a croissant in front of a jewelry store window in the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany's, generations of gay men have hit the shores of NYC by the turnip truck-full, dreaming of something bigger. Whether they end up a hit on Broadway, hitting the skids, establishing their own Factory, or toiling in one... NYC will forever be a training ground for boys who aren't afraid to temp fate. Matthew Camp attained the rank of "NYC-famous" soon after hitting the Big Apple, earning the label "go-go boy/model" (an admittedly dime-a-dozen category). But Camp's uncanny staying power has up-leagued him onto the sort of plateaus usually associated with the early careers of the truly big. Camp's increasingly "/" -- heavy curriculum vitae would impress even James Franco; "go-go boy," "artist," "film actor" (Camp is starring opposite Tanner Cohen in Cory Krueckeberg's The GoDoc Project, currently buzzing on the festival circuit and set for a fall release.), "fashion designer" (His custom creations have frocked everyone from Yozmit to Sharon Needles.), "perfumer" (His signature fragrance, called 8.5, debuted last week, memorably sold in a poppers bottle), "tattoo artist" (set up an appointment!) all on top of his noted 15-minutes-and-counting celebgaytaunt status. Not bad! I chatted with Matthew about what makes him stick.
Mark Allen: Where did you come from and why did you move to NYC?
Matthew Camp: I grew up in California near San Francisco. I moved here without knowing anybody. I wanted to grow up on my own, without the influence of my comfortable life and family and friends.
So, fast-forward a few years in NYC: Now when you walk into most rooms everyone immediately knows who you are, and most want to be your boyfriend. How does that make you feel? How does one accomplish this?
Well, that sounds very intimidating... I don't think that's ever happened to me! (Laughs.) In many ways NYC is a very big small town. It makes for frequent and brief introductions.
Your appearance: You're gorgeous. Were you born this way or is all blood, sweat and surgery?
(Laughs) Thanks! Actually, I work out a lot because I'm addicted to the dopamine released.
What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Be fearlessly honest.
Six eggs.
That's fearlessly honest?
Yes.
You're an actor now. You star opposite Tanner Cohen in Cory Krueckeberg's upcoming and very talked-about film The GoDoc Project. I've seen parts of it, the camera loves you! What's it like working on a feature-length film?
It's like when you start to date someone for the first time. You like the experience, but they start to monopolize your time.
Will you act again?
I'd love to. Overall it was a very interesting process.
Is being a clothes designer your ultimate ambition? Downtown NYC has launched a lot of famous fashion designers, like Thierry Mugler. Would you say he's an influence? Who are some of your favorite designers now?
Yes. My interests are in lifestyle needs and clothing that fits into that right now. Theirry Mugler is amazing and I adore everything about him, as well as the late Lee McQueen. It's my feeling that my mind is of the same stream of consciousness as theirs.
How would you describe your own fashion line?
I started making clothing because I couldn't find what I wanted on the market. And I'm sure a lot of my customers feel the same way, their fashion needs are not being met by what's currently available. The line is sleek, primitive and futuristic at the same time. I like to avoid trends and make the images that I dream about.
Some of your personal "looks" when you hit the clubs seem pretty inspired: evil zombie clowns, white trash demons, satanic pixies, a raw steak as an eye patch. When you get dressed up for the night, what inspires you?
I like cartoons. I get a lot of inspiration from them.
Do you think some of these bizarre looks are you rebelling against your beefcake image?
I don't think that at all. Playing the boy next door is fun, but I like the response you get from other people when you're selling "freak." Its very different than selling sex.
Your signature cologne 8.5 debuted last week. It's very NSFW! Why is it sold in a poppers bottle?
I like the symbol of poppers, which have had a very long association with sex. They are in many ways a modern-day aphrodisiac. It seemed like a very fitting way to bottle this unique fragrance. It has an addictive smell, especially when mixed with the natural pheromones of an individual.
I'm sure a lot of people would like to see you do it, but you've refused offers to do porn (which many view as career suicide). Has this been a strategic decision?
Well, I love porn. I think it's a tremendous service and I also think its a very powerful tool in our culture. It drives fantasy and lifestyle and provides a narrative that most people buy into, which I like. I thinks it's beautiful. But, I'm actually very shy, and having sex in-front of a camera crew is extremely intimidating to me.
How many times have you go-go danced? Will you keep doing it?
The number of times? No idea. It would be like counting blades of grass in a field at this point. I don't dance anywhere at the moment, nor do I have plans to in the near future, at least on a regular basis. I can't dance forever.
A lot of people have preconceived notions about boys who takes their clothes off on a go-go box. Which makes me wonder, what is your opinion on the mathematical Riemann Hypothosis? Numerical calculations confirm that S grows very slowly: |S(T)| < 1 for T < 280, |S(T)| < 2 for T < 6800000, but the largest value of |S(T)| found so far is not much larger than 3. What is your stance on the critical zeros? And do you think that, within the hypothesis, prime numbers distribution is possible?
I'm only going to answer a couple parts of this question because I only have so much time, and discussions about the Riemann Hypothesis can turn into an endless argument. I think that math is a construct of consciousness that allows us to make the infinite finite. Thus, the problem is one of perception. I think in models like fractals or expansion theory, it would make sense for the values to never reach past a certain point because they wouldn't grow and expand with the rest of the model at a predictable rate... but would always continue to grow in macro and micro capacities. Thus, finite is an illusion and the ever growing infinite gives way for new values. It would be difficult to understand how a watch works from looking at only one component.
What really turns you on Matthew?
Passion.
See photos of Matthew Camp below. (Warning: Some images are NSFW)
