Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Rocco Steele discusses daddy image and product line
by Matt Simonette
2019-05-02

This article shared 13723 times since Thu May 2, 2019
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Last year, Instinct Magazine proclaimed popular adult performer and entrepreneur Rocco Steele to be "the daddy of all daddies."

Washington, D.C.-based Steele said that "daddy" is a label he actually takes very seriously.

"Guys who are 46-years-old grow a beard and call themselves 'daddy,'" he added. "I don't take the term lightly. When [my generation] was coming of age, we went to bars and didn't know who was ever going to be there again when we went back the following week, who was going to make it from one week to the next. We lost a huge chunk of our community."

Steele, 49, is active on social media and said he hopes to be a role model for men in his age range, additionally noting that, "In the community, I'd like to think that I'm an influencer and that people look up to me. Even though I do porn, I discuss things publicly, and people like to hear what I have to say."

He came to adult entertainment and escorting later in life, while in his forties, than most performers do. Steele has a law degree as well a background in merchandising. Indeed, just as he was breaking into adult films, Steele also resolved to be in business for himself.

"I used to work in a corporate environment in New York City, and I always wanted to be my own boss," he explained. "My dad was a working-class guy who left his job to open up a restaurant and a bar many, many years ago. I always just loved the idea of being my own boss like he was. But I was always tied to a nine-to-five job. I didn't know how to do it, and I didn't have the capital to do it."

He was on anti-depressants and "miserable" in his last corporate job, he said. "I kept thinking, 'There has to be something better than this.' I was working and taking the subway every day with this girl from my office. She said, 'I'm starting on online business.' I was intrigued and asked her how she was doing it."

Ultimately that led to an online underwear business, 10seven, that he coupled with his then-burgeoning Rocco Steele name. He's acutely aware of the need to smartly leverage his adult industry persona: "There's some staying power in my brand, and I won't be here today and gone tomorrow."

Steele recently partnered with the Florida-based Perfect Fit sexual health products company for a line of items they branded as "ROCCO," scheduled to launch this spring.

"I get a lot of fan inquiries, but the kinds of questions are repeated over and over again," he said. "They're mostly about sex, obviously—what do I think about this or that? What do I think about that dildo? It seemed like something I'd be interested in getting into—there are countless products for gay men out there."

Steele is up front that he's long been in recovery since even before he entered adult entertainment and escorting. That's helped him to stay grounded in an industry that's notoriously fickle and unstable.

"I had a really solid program of recovery when I came into this industry," he said. "I just recently celebrated 20 years being clean and sober in December. I had 15 years clean and sober when I started porn. I was able early on to kind of compartmentalize my work in porn and realize that it was a job and not to have it become a social life. I would shoot my moves and go home. I would do appearances to promote movies and go home. … I worked really closely with my support network. I was living in New York City at the time, and had a really strong network of sober friends."

He's directing some films now, and is pickier about what he appears in.

"I pretty much stopped all studio work and the only place I'm appearing is OnlyFans [a subscription-based adult platform]. The only reason I'm on OnlyFans is, you can't pass up the money—it's so good, and it's a no-brainer. My husband and I were looking at all my 1099s, and I thought, I'd love to hang all this up and stop doing all kinds of porn, but you can't turn your back on it. … With ROCCO launching, it's important for me to stay 'sexual' in the eyes of my followers and anyone interested in purchasing the toys."


This article shared 13723 times since Thu May 2, 2019
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

STRUT marks World AIDS Day with 14th Annual Fashion Show 2023-12-05
- On Dec. 3, John Fleming and Madman Productions presented the 14th annual STRUT fashion show at Joe's on Weed Street, 940 W. Weed St. As in previous years, the standing room only show was a fundraiser, ...


Gay News

Chicago Red Stars down Houston 3-0 2023-08-06
- In local pro women's soccer action, the Chicago Red Stars closed the UKG Challenge Cup play in historic fashion with three goals all assisted by defender Casey Krueger, blanking the Houston Dash 3-0 on Aug. 5 ...


Gay News

Stefanie Clark reflects on life as a both a fashion model and senior advocate 2023-06-15
- An oft-repeated quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald—usually taken out-of-context—suggests that "there are no second acts in American lives." Local activist—and, as of lately, model— Stefanie Clark has been putting a ...


Gay News

Viktor Luna moonlights once again on Project Runway 2023-06-14
- Out and proud fashion designer Viktor Luna returns for more challenges in the upcoming season 20 of Project Runway. The Emmy Award-winning competition series has assembled 14 designers from its past, with Christian Siriano serving as ...


Gay News

Chicago House welcomes spring with 'Secret Garden' event 2023-05-12
- On May 7, Chicago House presented its annual spring fashion brunch, this year titled The Secret Garden, in the Winter Green Ballroom of the Harold Washington Library. The annual event, which some now regard as the ...


Gay News

Billy Porter discusses his fashion choices, personal ambitions 2023-01-30
- Billy Porter—the Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner—needs no introduction—especially to the many fans of his character Pray Tell on Ryan Murphy's hit TV series Pose. Coming up exclusively in theaters Feb. 3, Porter will star as ...


Gay News

WORLD Murder suspect arrested, Israeli official, conversion therapy, couple's win 2023-01-08
- Kenyan authorities arrested a suspect in the death of fashion designer/LGBTQ+-rights activist Edwin Chiloba after his body was found dumped in a metal box by the roadside near the town of Eldoret, according to CNN. Last ...


Gay News

Annual STRUT event shines spotlight on World AIDS Day 2022-12-07
- On the evening of Nov. 4, the annual STRUT fashion show celebrated its 13th edition at Joe's on Weed St. As in the past, STRUT shined its spotlight on up-and-coming young fashion designers while raising funds for ...


Gay News

Chicago History Museum holds special screening, panel discussion 2022-11-07
- The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum presented a special screening of the Youtube Originals series Supreme Models: The Documentary and a panel with an array of A-list fashion industry panelists. Among the participants were ...


Gay News

Chicago History Museum to host 'Supreme Models' screening Nov. 4 2022-10-19
- The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum will host the official Midwest screening of Supreme Models and an exclusive in-person celebration on Friday, Nov. 4, 5:30-9:30 p.m. at The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark ...


Gay News

FashionBar hosting Chicago Fashion Week, PFLAG conference 2022-10-01
- Fashion Bar announced that it's hosting Chicago Fashion Week. The shows will take place Oct. 16-23 at Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. Additionally, FashionBar will host the. PFLAG Northern Illinois conference at Water Tower ...


Gay News

Chicago Fashion Week taking place April 24-May 1 2022-04-19
- FashionBar, LLC announced Chicago Fashion Week will take place April 24-May 1 on the third floor of Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. Some of the shows will include "Emerging Students" (April 26), "Trans, Media ...


Gay News

Designs for Dignity gala on May 19 2022-04-19
- Designs for Dignity's annual fundraising gala, "Spirit of Design," will take place Thursday, May 19, 6-10 p.m., and will celebrate more than 20 years of impact on Chicago's nonprofit community. The event will take place at ...


Gay News

Chicago Fashion Week April 24 to May 1 2022-04-05
-- From a press release - CHICAGO — FashionBar, LLC is pleased to announce Chicago Fashion Week powered by FashionBar LLC, scheduled from April 24th to May 1st at Water Tower Place on Chicago's Magnificent Mile. FashionBar is proud to celebrate this ...


Gay News

LGBTQIA+-focused talent group launches in Orlando, Chicago and Miami 2022-03-31
- Orlando-based experiential marketing company, 82 South, Inc., has launched MODE (Made on Diversity and Equality) Talent Group this month to promote LGBTQIA+ and other underrepresented talent for bookings in fashion ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.