I spent two weeks prancing around a studio in Queens in my underwear with nine other guys. They were long days. But what the hell, it was Calvin Klein.

I too have my own demons, and I have struggled. I've made my own mistakes, and I'm not proud of them.

We live in a kissy society.

A father's disappointment can be a very powerful tool.

The fact is, my parents loved me, and I wanted to be worthy of their love. I wanted to make them proud.

It struck me that what I'd heard about certain celebrities was true: they had It, whatever the hell It was. Star power isn't a myth; it is tangible and forceful.

My father was a sergeant with the Connecticut state police. My mother was a hairstylist.