Kept man
Encyclopedia
A kept man is a man who is financially supported by a wealthy, usually older, person who is neither the man's spouse nor close relative. Men may be kept by either a woman or by another man. Being "kept" could be seen as a form of male prostitution, especially if the relationship has a sexual dimension. The kept woman is a female version, and considered more common.
author Robert Rodi
.
Being a "kept man" was the theme of an episode from critically acclaimed sitcom "Ellen
" originally aired on January 15, 1997 called "Joe's Kept Secret". In the episode, David Anthony Higgins
' character, Joe, is kept by a significantly older woman, Madelaine, played by Florence Henderson
.
VH1
in 2005 aired Kept
, a reality television
series featuring a dozen contestants seeking to become the kept man of supermodel Jerry Hall
.
The character of Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard is a "kept man" who is being "kept" by Norma Desmond, a famous star.
Throughout An American in Paris
others allude to Jerry Mulligan being "kept" by Milo Roberts.
In Breakfast at Tiffany's, Paul Varjak is being kept by the character of Mrs. Failenson, whom Paul introduces to Holly as his decorator.
The theme of being a "Kept Man" was a prominent theme in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy
starring Jon Voight & Dustin Hoffman:
Texas greenhorn Joe Buck arrives in New York for the first time. Preening himself as a real 'hustler', he finds that he is the one getting 'hustled' until he teams up with a down-and-out but resilient outcast named Ratso Rizzo. The initial 'country cousin meets city cousin' relationship deepens. In their efforts to bilk a hostile world rebuffing them at every turn, this unlikely pair progress from partners in shady business to comrades. Each has found his first real friend.
In popular culture
Kept Boy is a novel by noted gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
author Robert Rodi
Robert Rodi
Robert Rodi is an American novelist, playwright, comic book writer, essayist, and performance artist.-Biography:...
.
Being a "kept man" was the theme of an episode from critically acclaimed sitcom "Ellen
Ellen (TV series)
Ellen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
" originally aired on January 15, 1997 called "Joe's Kept Secret". In the episode, David Anthony Higgins
David Anthony Higgins
David Anthony Higgins is an American comedic actor, best known for playing the roles of Craig Feldspar from Malcolm in the Middle and Mr. Bitters from Big Time Rush....
' character, Joe, is kept by a significantly older woman, Madelaine, played by Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson
Florence Agnes Henderson is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role of Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974...
.
VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
in 2005 aired Kept
Kept
Kept is a reality television series that centered on Jerry Hall searching for a kept man. The show premiered on the American cable network VH1 in late May 2005. When Hall narrowed the list down to twelve, she spirited them off to London and eliminated them one by one.The final three consisted of...
, a reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series featuring a dozen contestants seeking to become the kept man of supermodel Jerry Hall
Jerry Hall
Jerry Faye Hall is an American model and actress, also known for her long-term relationship with Mick Jagger, with whom she had four children.-Early life:...
.
The character of Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard is a "kept man" who is being "kept" by Norma Desmond, a famous star.
Throughout An American in Paris
An American in Paris (film)
An American in Paris is a 1951 MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner...
others allude to Jerry Mulligan being "kept" by Milo Roberts.
In Breakfast at Tiffany's, Paul Varjak is being kept by the character of Mrs. Failenson, whom Paul introduces to Holly as his decorator.
The theme of being a "Kept Man" was a prominent theme in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and newcomer Jon Voight in the title role. Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles, John...
starring Jon Voight & Dustin Hoffman:
Texas greenhorn Joe Buck arrives in New York for the first time. Preening himself as a real 'hustler', he finds that he is the one getting 'hustled' until he teams up with a down-and-out but resilient outcast named Ratso Rizzo. The initial 'country cousin meets city cousin' relationship deepens. In their efforts to bilk a hostile world rebuffing them at every turn, this unlikely pair progress from partners in shady business to comrades. Each has found his first real friend.