Dirk Shafer(1962-2015)

Born in Carbondale, Illinois, (but raised in Oklahoma), Dirk first came to public attention when he appeared at age 27, in a photo-spread in Playgirl Magazine's "Holiday 1990" issue. This handsome, hairy-chested blond proved unusually popular with readers and when given a chance to select 1992's "Man of the Year", these readers picked Dirk from among a field of twelve candidates. He subsequently posed for another photo-spread in Playgirl's February 1992 issue. This exposure led to a large number of personal appearances, press interviews, and guest spots on TV talk shows. Dirk used some of these experiences as the basis for a theatrical film titled Man of the Year (1995) which was released in 1995. Dirk played himself in this "mockumentray" which told, in generally light-hearted fashion, of the tribulations a gay man might face when he's presented as the female's ideal of a sex symbol. The movie received good reviews and played in all the major markets and proved popular at gay film festivals. Dirk followed this with another movie he wrote and directed in 2001 titled _Circuit (2001/I)_ which also dealt with a gay man's life. Circuit won several film festival awards, played world wide theatrically, and is one of the best selling gay DVD titles on record.

Shafer worked for many years as a fitness trainer and Pilates instructor, releasing Swapoutworkout, a fitness instructional video, in 2012. Also in 2012 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his layout, Shafer returned to the pages of Playgirl for another spread.

Shafer was found dead in his car near his home in West Hollywood, California on March 5, 2015. The cause of death was not immediately apparent. An autopsy determined that death was the result of overdose on cocaine and methamphetamine, with hypertension being a possible contributing factor.