For Your Entertainment: Ben Cohen - Making The 2012 Calendar

For Your Entertainment: Dieux Du Stade 2012 Preview

For Your Entertainment: Nation’s Bravest’s Mr. Philly - John “Jack” Slivinski 

From today’s post about Nation’s Bravest’s Calendar.

BIO

John “Jack” Slivinski, Jr. (May 24, 1979 – June 25, 2011) was a member of Philadelphia Fire Fighters’ Union IAFF Local 22, which supports Nation’s Bravest. Jack served his country as both a 3rd generation US Marine and a 2nd generation Philadelphia firefighter. He advocated the support of the Widow’s Fund, which assists the families of fallen Philadelphia firefighters.
“Mr. Philly” was a member of the prestigious Rescue 1, an elite, FEMA-certified unit that conducts daring rescues throughout the city. His father was an original member of Engine 1, founded in 1991. In addition to firefighting, Jack was a sous chef at an Italian restaurant in Northern Liberties.

Gay-Friendly Late Fireman Immortalized In BeefCake Calendar

The Advocate reports:

Nation’s Bravest: Firefighters Unite, the firstnational firefighter calendar, which debuts this month, features a bevy of hunky, brave men, including the late John “Jack” Slivinski,Jr. Dubbed Mr. Philly, Slivinski was a member of the prestigious Rescue 1, an elite, FEMA-certified firefighting unit that conducts daring rescues throughout the city. But controversy surrounded Slivinski in early 2011 after Philly’s fire commissioner, Lloyd Ayers, demoted the fireman for posing for the beefcake calendar, which creates funds for widows and children. 

At that time, the LGBT community in Philadelphia — always fans of shirtless men — came to Slivinski’s rescue. According to the Philadelphia Weekly, Slivinski’s parents, Gerry and Jack Slivinski Sr., took to Equality Forum’s SundayOUT! — the region’s largest LGBT street festival — to get petitions signed supporting their bronzed and beefy son. “It’s ridiculous. We shouldn’t be having this conversation over a picture for charity,” Gerry Slivinski told the paper in April. He was later reinstated with just a verbal warning.

Sadly, Slivinski committed suicide in June. But he’s immortalized in the new calendar along with 11 other hunky men from Charlotte, Chicago, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle, and Tampa.