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“Man of the Year” Dirk Shafer has died at 52
This is very sad news.
Dirk Shafer, who gained fame as a Playgirl Man of the Year in the early 1990s and soon after came out publicly, was found dead in West Hollywood Thursday.
Shafer, 52, was found in his car. The cause of death is not yet known, according to RumorFix.
He gained his greatest fame by directing and starring in the 1995 mockumentary Man Of The Year about his experiences as a centerfold for the magazine. He was pressured to present himself s straight during his reign.
I remember seeing the movie at Sunset 5 in West Hollywood 20 years ago as well as his follow-up film Circuit. We were friends on Facebook but we never met face-to-face.
But Dirk had many, many friends who are posting tributes on his Facebook page today.
Shafer appeared on the magazine’s cover again in 2012 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his original cover.
Shafer was currently working as a fitness trainer.
A family spokesman posted on Shafer’s Facebook page that a memorial would be held at a later date in West Hollywood.
One of his friends wrote on Facebook: ‘For anyone looking for a little comfort right now, Dirk and I had dinner a couple of weeks ago. We went shopping for skinny jeans (which looked fabulous on him) and we dished. He was really happy. Excited to be alive, excited to seize the future. His passing is very sad, but he left, as we all hope to, feeling happy to be alive.’
Comments
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Richard V says:
This is sad news indeed, I’ve been collecting Play girl magazine too many years to count so yes I’ve both magazine covers with him on them. I remember thinking obscene thoughts originally and sad thinking the man was str8 only to learn he was family (gay). Right now I’m not a happy person.
Stephen Timberlake says:
I was the Cinematographer for Dirk’s Man of the Year. He was a joy and true professional to work with. I was honored when he selected me over other considerations to lens his film. That opportunity open many doors for my career. I am saddened by his passing.