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AGE: 23

SIGN: Leo

HOME STATE: Michigan

OCCUPATION: Draftsman

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Straight

STATUS: Eliminated
Paul is a 23-year-old Ann Arbor, Michigan native who loves watching and playing soccer. Paul works as a drafter in an architecture firm during the day and spins at a local club and produces music by night. Although he is very shy person, he likes entertaining people and making them laugh. He likes being the center of attention but not for the wrong reasons. Paul has his ears pierced as well as his tongue. He would like to someday record his own songs.
POST SHOW INTERVIEW:
Q: Has appearing on BMB changed your life in any way? If so, how?
Paul: My life pretty much picked up where it left off after the show, with some added notoriety and probably a million jokes (all in good fun) from friends and family concerning my sexuality.
Q: Have you kept in contact with any of the other participants on the show? If so, who?
Paul: I have kept in contact mostly with Jim (who I was friends with before the show). I have also kept in contact with Wes, Sean, and Brian Hay (mainly via email). But I am planning to get together soon with Sean for a couple drinks.
Q: Did you learn anything new about yourself through participating in this show?
Paul: This may sway a little from the question, but after the show was filmed and it started to get press, I was occasionally noticed around town and sometimes questioned. Of course, we were not allowed to talk about the show much, but people got the concept of the show and would question my sexuality to which my reply was "watch the show and find out!" Now with friends and family that knew me, my sexuality wasn't a question and they were just excited to actually see me on TV. For the most part, people that didn't know me were cool with the show and could have cared less whether I was gay or straight, but there were a few instances when people who didn't approve of the show – who were obviously not comfortable with gays – looked at me and pegged me as gay. That look of disapproval in their eyes said "you are a horrible person for being who you are" (or who they assumed I was) and it was surreal. I would never say I know what it's like to be gay, but the way I felt for those few seconds gave me some insight and a whole new level of respect in the day-to-day lives of gay and lesbian people. Those few moments had an effect on me that will change me forever.
Q: What was your favorite part of the experience?
Paul: Being put in an amazing house, with 15 cool guys, free food, free drink and a pool...pretty much sums that up.
Q: What one thing didn't make it into the final show that you wish America could have seen?
Paul: Jim and I did an exit interview together that I wish was in the show.
Q: What was the hardest thing about pretending to be a gay man?
Paul: Gay or straight, I am a relatively shy person. In a situation like this show where there are a ton of new guys and a bunch of cameras filming you, its either fight or flight. I think I sort of chose the flight path. I am the type of person who likes to adjust to a setting and become comfortable before I come out of my shell. So that first day was pretty nerve racking. Several of the guys were very outgoing, namely Wes and Robb who I guessed were gay (based on stereotypes, of course). Those guys really carried the conversation. Since I was really in a shell, I couldn't say anything without going over the words in my head a million times first; which meant I pretty much missed the topic of conversation for five hours. I found myself worried about what I said because I didn't want to say something that sounded "too straight" and have everyone look at me funny. Which, as we all learned from the show is ridiculous because we are all just people and the rest of the guys that were gay had no reason to think I wasn't gay. So I guess this also answers the question about what I learned on the show.
*participant responses may have been edited

Is Paul...

GAY? - 65%
 
STRAIGHT? - 35%