[So Queer] Where are the cricket hunks?

Perhaps the most frustrating part was not having a television set for the first five weeks. I thought that life would be boring, but surprisingly that wasn't the case - thanks mainly to my radio and daily newspapers. By the way, I think I'm one of a few 20-something-year-olds who actually buy and read newspapers. I'm always the youngest person in the newspaper stands checking out the headlines. Most of my peers seem to be drawn to glossy celebrity magazines with the latest Hollywood gossip, not that there is anything wrong with that.

Sheen vs Gaddafi

I find it rather interesting, however, that people would know all about Charlie Sheen's latest outburst, but haven't got a clue as to who Muammar Gaddafi is - a name that has made numerous news headlines for human rights violation in Libya.

Anyway, going back to my no television days, I found that I was not missing TV at all. In fact, I realised I had actually grown bored with the dull soapies and low-budget local dramas that are often accompanied by ordinary and cringe-worthy acting.

Though radio is a blind medium, it certainly can stimulate the imagination, creating unlimited images in the mind. I think that we have a number of talented radio broadcasters in this country who know how to utilise the strengths of radio and create a sense of companionship for the listener.

James Anderson

James Anderson

Eye candy lacking

However, I did miss watching the early Cricket World Cup matches. Even though a few SABC radio stations provided live broadcasting of certain games, it just didn't feel the same as seeing the action on TV.

Unlike football, cricket doesn't have much in the way of eye candy. I guess I didn't miss much in that department. For all their talents, there are seriously few international-level cricketers that one may feel should be required to play topless. Personally, my two picks are Australian pace-ace Mitchell Johnson and currently struggling for form English fast bowler James Anderson.

Gay 'keeper

Anderson impressed my keen eye when he appeared naked in Attitude, a gay UK magazine, in October, 2010. Now don't get it twisted, Anderson is straight and is happily married, the shoot was to simply show that he is comfortable with his sexuality and that he is a laid-back modern man.

The English do have a gay cricketer amongst their ranks, though. Steven Davies, one of the young wicketkeeper-batsman in the English cricket team, recently came out and has been praised for his bravery.

Steven Davies

David Beckham

Becks bared all

Though Anderson was the first professional cricketer to bare it all for the gay folks, the likes of "publicity magnet" David Beckham have already been. Not surprisingly, Beckham is no stranger to Full Monty photo shoots. He was the face of man panties by Emporio Armani when he appeared almost naked in a series of ads in which the now-spent English football star showed off his impressive physique.

I could write a whole thesis on sportsmens' impressive physiques, but before I get carried away further, I should mention that I am a genuine fan of cricket, even though the sport itself is seriously bowled out on hotties. On a more serious note, living without television for five weeks has given me more time to listen to radio and read. Admittedly, that sounds a bit boring, but I believe that at times the brain needs intellectual stimulation rather than passively consuming TV images all the time.

A touch of pink

I also found time to discover my other interests, which include writing this column. "So Queer" will be a weekly column that looks and comments on South Africa's popular culture and other topics that my queer eye finds interesting. For a long time we've lived in a hetero-normative world - in which heterosexuality is the norm. Perhaps now is the time we heard a different voice; a voice with a touch of pink.