Behind The Cam With Manpuppy
Richard Lennox has been known on the web as Manpuppy since 2011, when he began publishing websites and performing in amateur adult videos and on live cam. With over 7,000 followers on Twitter @ManpuppyRichard, he’s built a following to rival established porn stars, with zero studio involvement to date. He is his own niche: a middle-aged man with an impossibly lean body (“I’m like a well-dressed exclamation point…”) who regularly dates and appears with much younger men. He joined Cam4 recently and has some great things to say about the experience.
How did you get involved with CAM4?
I’ve appeared on two other cam sites regularly in the past few years. As I was looking for guys who’d like to join me, I kept hearing more and more, “Oh, are you on Cam4?” So, I checked out the site in depth, and I loved the simple, straightforward, free rein approach for the performers, as well as the ease of the Member interface. It’s MUCH less expensive for a Member to participate on Cam4 than on other sites, and there’s the old saying in business: If your customer drives a Mercedes, you drive a Pinto; if your customer drives a Pinto, you drive a Mercedes. So, I made the switch, and I haven’t looked back.
How do you find the guys you do shows with?
Attraction rather than promotion is the best policy. I’ve run ads in some of the local alternative press, but as a result I’ve spent too much time weeding through curiosity seekers who weren’t serious, and guys who were, to put it delicately, not camera ready. Since coming on Cam4, guys have been approaching ME more and more. I may have to get a secretary. Ha! I meet the best guys the way you’d meet guys for dates. But instead of asking something like, “What kind of music do you like?” I ask, “Can I plow your ass in front of 2,000 people?”
Do you plan out your cam shows or just let them happen?
For Solo shows, I try to do something no one else is doing, and get a little creative. The women on Cam4 are better at this than the men. I might try different outfits and different activities that make sense with the look, like working out in a jockstrap, or anal toy play in thigh-high red boots. For Couple shows, I have a general framework, but there has to be a chemistry with a guy for it to work. So, there’s a lot of improvisation based on how we’re feeling with each other and what the audience is in the mood for.
Why did you decide to start making videos?
I’ve had career success in other completely different fields, and then lost interest when there was nowhere new to go and it just became a chore to maintain what I had. I don’t want to do any one thing my entire life. I won’t let a job or career or money define me. At my age (46), it might seem unusual to be gaining momentum as an adult performer, but videos and live cam evolved into my life as something I chose to express my sexual freedom. Guys in their 20’s have absolutely no clue how liberating the internet has been. I’ve seen the world change drastically for gay men and sexuality in general, I have a middle-aged man’s experience, and I’m blessed to have maintained the body of a twink. Why not celebrate all of that?
What do you prefer: being in a relationship or single?
The ring I wear on my index finger is to remind me that the only way I can be useful to someone else is to love Number One first. Increasingly, I dislike the idea of pigeonholing and categorizing relationships. What is the line between Friend, Fuckbuddy, Boyfriend, and Husband? And why, exactly? What purpose do those expectations serve? Some antiquated concept of ownership? I was officially with my last boyfriend, Sabastian, for two years, but we often had other guys join us sexually, together and independently. We decided to split up about five months ago because we were each getting lost in the other’s needs, but we remain good friends and have enjoyed each other a few times in threesomes and one-on-one since then, and sometimes go out together to dinner or movies. We’ve even been talking about him joining me on cam. Are we “in a relationship?” Well, of course. Two strangers sharing a smile with each other is a “relationship.” But we’re not this Couple thing where people can make assumptions about how we relate. My idea of relationships is becoming very fluid.
What type of guys do you like?
Hot! Hot comes in all ages, shapes and sizes. And a little crazy – fun crazy, not lock-your-doors crazy, or party animal crazy (they’re the most boring and self-absorbed of all). It’s pretty easy to just get me hard, but make me laugh and I’m yours. Narrow-minded guys are a big turnoff; arrogance, dishonesty, unwilling or rigid ways of life – if those are your attributes, you could look like Pierre Fitch and you’d give me a limp dick. OK, I really like Pierre Fitch. Ha ha! But not just because he’s physically beautiful, also because he has an entrepreneurial spirit, doesn’t just want to define himself as a porn star, and he’s very approachable. And the sleeve tattoo… I love sleeve tattoos… mmm… and Canadians…
What are your fetishes?
I have one unusual fetish: I like to draw. On me, on you. Black markers are my favorite. Intricate patterns, or just silly bumper sticker sayings and characters. I happen to have zero tattoos or piercings; I want to be able to wash it off and try something new the next day. But I get crazy horny from using a guy’s flesh as my sketch pad, or surrendering my body to his designs.
What are your hobbies?
I produce music in my spare time, ranging from ambient to pop electronica. I produced a single last year and the video (which I also made) got over 70,000 hits. I’ve had a concept album floating in my head for over 20 years, but the idea is so important to me, I won’t touch it until I have the time and resources to do it perfectly; lock myself in a studio with a couple session musicians and engineers for a few months. I also love photography and writing. But my day isn’t all work and lofty pursuits. If I don’t get my Farmville 2 fix, I just don’t feel right. Ha ha! I decompress with Kadampa meditation, cartoons, and offbeat movies.
Would You Like To Star In His Next CAM4 Show?
Let Him Know On Twitter @ManpuppyRichard
