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Michael Lucas Wants to Take You to Israel

He’s taken many a gay man to heaven with adult films like Michael Lucas' La Dolce Vita and Fire Island Cruising. Now, Michael Lucas want to take you to the Promised Land.


MICHAEL LUCAS ISRAEL X390 (COURTESY) | ADVOCATE.COM

He’s taken many a gay man to heaven with the adult films he’s produced, including Michael Lucas' La Dolce Vita, Fire Island Cruising, and Men of Israel, but now Michael Lucas is entering the travel business—and wants to take you to Israel. He’s scheduled a 12-day tour of the Promised Land, including stops in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Eilat. So we asked Steven Burns, whose QueerClick.com covers the comings and goings of Lucas’s day job, to get the scoop on the producer’s travel-related career turn.

Michael, I’ve got to ask the obvious: Why the shift into the tourism business?

It’s not so much a shift as it is something extra I’d like to do. This idea really came to me from so many people e-mailing me that they’d love to go Israel but didn’t know how to go about it. And since my first business in Russia was running a successful tourist agency, I do know what makes a great tour. So while I am organizing the trip here, I am also working with Israel’s biggest tourist [company]. 

Will you be offering trips to some of the other places featured in your films? Say a tour of Fire Island?
You don’t need me to show you Fire Island. You’ll find your way very quickly on your own there. But while Israel is one of the best places for a gay holiday vacation, it’s not yet a typical tourist spot for gay men. It offers an amazing combination of history, gorgeous architecture, restaurants [with cuisine] from all over the world, beautiful beaches, a wild nightlife, natural resorts, shopping. There are so many things to do and see—all in one trip. I’m doing this because I enjoy introducing people to the country that I truly love.

Do people assume this is a porn- or sex-based trip?
It absolutely isn’t that type of trip. Once again, you don’t need me to find sex in Israel if that’s what you’re interested in. There are many gay clubs, two gay beaches, and Israeli guys are generally very friendly and curious. But no, this trip is about Israel, not about having sex.

So is the trip open only to men?

Everyone is welcome. The tour is aimed at people who are interested in exploring all of Israel. Gender, age, or body type don’t matter. People seem to be confused about this. I want to travel with a diverse crowd, and this trip is absolutely for anyone who wants to see Israel from a unique insider’s perspective. 

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Fairlight
    Date posted: 6/6/2010 2:10:11 AM
    Hometown: Seattle

    Comment:

    @Robert: well, THAT'S an intelligent thing to base a political opinion on. As others have said, Israel is a safe place for gay people, and none of the Arab countries are. Perhaps that's why you have no trouble finding Arab dick HERE.

  • Name: Hadar
    Date posted: 4/1/2010 7:05:50 PM
    Hometown: Even Yehuda- ISRAEL

    Comment:

    Robert, I was sad to see your reaction and perception of Israel. I am proud to say that I am a GAY man out of the closet from Israel serving as an officer in the IDF, with no bigotry or discrimination of any kind being shown to me. And calling the Jewish state Anti-Semetic is absurd considering the fact that the Jews are Semite... We have in Israel a large community of gay peoplem we have gay pride parades, a GLBT center, a GLBT film festival, gay clubs, gay beaches, and people are accepted for who thay are! So before writing stupid things just to annoy and aggravate people, think about what you say!!!

  • Name: Cody Kinsey
    Date posted: 3/31/2010 7:52:59 PM
    Hometown: Tulsa

    Comment:

    @ Robert and those with similar views: Your precious Arab/Muslim countries criminalize gay men and women, punishing them with incarceration and death. Israel is even more supportive of gay rights than the U.S., and even welcomes openly gay soldiers in the IDF. When two gay youths were murdered by extremists in Tel Aviv last year, Shimon Peres gave a heartfelt speech supporting gay Israelis and condemning in no uncertain terms homophobia. Comparing Israel to Uganda is so stupid and wrong it can only stem from anti-Jewish hatred. And the endorsement of Arab countries adds hypocrisy to the mix. It's sad that the gay community contains so much anti-Semitism when modern non-Orthodox Judaism (the majority of Judaism) is far more pro-gay than Islam or even much of Christianity. You're an embarrassment to gay non-Jews like myself. Straight guys who support Israel because they fetishize Jewish girls aren't taken seriously! I hope Jews don't think all gays are hateful, uneducated bigots.

  • Name: robert
    Date posted: 3/21/2010 8:52:37 PM
    Hometown: Atlanta

    Comment:

    My opinions have to do with my fetish for Arab dicks.

  • Name: Robert
    Date posted: 3/18/2010 11:40:54 PM
    Hometown: Atlanta

    Comment:

    Paul, I know full well of Lucas' disgusting support for that imperialist racist colonizer anti-semite state of Israel. He is a propagandist for Israel and has more in common with the "Kill the Gays" crowd in Uganda than he does any freedom loving person.

  • Name: Paul
    Date posted: 3/18/2010 6:31:24 PM
    Hometown: New York

    Comment:

    Robert, your ignorance on Michael Lucas' passionate support for Israel is well known in here New York; you should really research an issue before making such ludicrous statements like the ones you posted here.

  • Name: Brad
    Date posted: 3/15/2010 2:55:06 PM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    I know that this is a short article but I would be interested in what he feels his company offers that is different or better than other gay travel companies that are already doing this. I don’t know how much I would want to be part of a new travel company that will be taking a large group gay men to such a deeply polarized area of the world.

  • Name: robert
    Date posted: 3/12/2010 11:55:04 AM
    Hometown: atlanta

    Comment:

    Can't wait for Lucas' next movies - Cruisin' Uganda, Hot Hot Hot in East Timor, A Tour of the Gay Hot Spot Pyongyang, and Cashin' in Kashmir. I wouldn't put it past him, Lucas doesn't seem to have any concern for human rights. Joseph Goebbels would have loved to have someone like Michael Lucas around!

  • Name: jckfmsincty
    Date posted: 3/9/2010 12:41:32 PM
    Hometown: loveland

    Comment:

    Sounds like a good time.



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