New York — Former gay porn star Gus Mattox (real name Tom Judson) will debut his new cabaret act on Sunday night at New York City’s newly launched nightspot 54 Below.
Titled “Nature Boy: Songs of the Earth & Sky,” the act features Mattox performing songs from The Beatles, Claude Debussy, Lionel Hampton and additional music inspired by “natural elements of the universe.”
Mattox broke into porn in 1999 at the age of 42 and retired in 2006 after performing in more than 30 titles. He went on to composed music for film and television and produced in 2009 the cabaret act “Canned Ham,” in which he sang, played piano and told anecdotes.
In an interview with HuffingtonPost.com, the now 51-year-old said he didn’t regret his time in porn and welcomed fans to see his new show even if they were there to see his porn persona.
“Whatever gets them in the seats is fine with me,” Mattox said. “Plus, I’m proud of having worked in porn; it’s not like it’s an embarrassment for me. I had a great time working in that business. I thought that going into porn and making myself more visible to more people could possibly lead to opportunities in other areas, and I also just thought it would be fun. I was right on both counts.”