In Which We Defend David Barton Gym and Its Sweaty Gayns

Contents:

• MEET DAVID BARTON, KG OF THE PIMPED-OUT GYMPUMP IT UPHE NO LONGER NS THE CHA OF NIGHTCLUB-VIBED GYMS THAT BEAR HIS NAME, BUT AS HE OPENS HIS NEW YORK GYM, TMPL, DAVID BARTON TALKS HEALTH, SEX, AND FEELG GREAT AT 51.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 6:49PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 23, 2016 5:25AM EDT TIM TEEMAN/THE DAILY BEASTTHE SCENE IS A BLURRG RT OF WORKMEN RRYG PLANKS, EXTENSN LEADS, BANGG, DRILLG, GIANT FLATABLE ANIMALS STANDG GUARD NEXT TO A SWIMMG POOL, AND TWO FLOORS OF GLEAMG, UNED GYM EQUIPMENT.PERDILLY, THE EMERGENCY EVACUATN ANNOUNCEMENT IS TTED, WH ACPANYG MENTED WHIRRG.AT THE CENTER OF THE NTROLLED CHAOS, A 5-FOOT-5 EXTREMELY MCULAR MAN, DRSED LIKE A NEW ROMANTIC PIRATE, S GENTLY AT A REPORTER AND TELLS HIM THAT HE IS FOUR MUT EARLY, AND THAT EVERYTHG TODAY IS SCHLED TO THE LAST MUTE.IN A FEW HOURS TIME, NEW YORK’S MOST BETIFUL WILL SCEND ON DAVID BARTON’S NEW GYM, TMPL, HELL’S KCHEN FOR A R OPENG NIGHT PARTY—APPROPRIATE, BEE MUCH LIKE THE GYMS THAT MA, AND STILL RRY, BARTON’S NAME THIS ONE FEELS LIKE A NIGHTCLUB. AS BARTON’S GYM AFICNADOS WILL REGNIZE, ’S THERE THE DIM LIGHTG, THE PROUD LACK OF NATURAL LIGHT, THE MACH BLACK AND SLEEK THE GLOAM, AND THE VERY HANDSOME AND PRETTY WHO E TO WORK OUT THE BARTON WAY.AT THIS JOT, ’S ALSO RIGHT THERE THE HUGE PATG OF A PAIR OF RED LIPS, HOLDG A GOLN PILL. FOR BARTON, VERY PERSONALLY, EXERCISE IS BOTH THE DG THAT GIV HIM HIS BT HIGH, AND A MORE NOCENT CURE-ALL MEDICE. TMPL IS A PLAY ON “TEMPLE,” WHICH BARTON—WHO WORKS OUT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, PAIRG TWO MCLE GROUPS PER SSN—SAYS THE GYM IS TO HIM.“I LOVE GYMS,” HE SAYS. “I JT LOVE THE GYM. I LL THIS TMPL BEE THE GYM IS MY TEMPLE. THIS IS WHERE I E TO GET RIGHT WH THE UNIVERSE. I GUS IF I WAS A BUDDHIST I’D GO TO A BUDDHIST TEMPLE. THIS IS MY TEMPLE.”IT MT BE STRANGE, NOT OPENG THIS VENUE HIS OWN NAME. “DAVID BARTON GYM” IS A BRAND THAT IS NOW NOTHG TO DO WH HIM, BUT STILL WH GYMS NEW YORK, MIAMI, CHIGO, SEATTLE, LAS VEGAS, LOS ANGEL, AND BOSTON.HE DON’T SEEM DOWNST. INED, BARTON’S BODY IS ON FULL, PEACK DISPLAY. HIS TIGHT WHE JEANS HAVE PATED SCRAWLS OVER THEM BY ARTIST KENNY SCHARF. HE HAS BUTCH, BLACK BOOTS, A FAD STARS-AND-STRIP TANK STOP, AND A BLACK CLOAK, ALSO ARMLS, OVER THAT.HIS MOUNTAO BICEPS WOULD MAKE POPEYE CHUG PROTE SHAK, RATHER THAN SPACH. A BLACK HAT WH A GLTERY STRIP BARELY NCEALS A LTLE BLEACHED WLICK PEEPG OUT OM BELOW.BARTON LOOKS BOTH LIKE A GYM BUNNY, AND AN OLD-TIME DOWNTOWN BOHO, WHICH HE SORT OF IS. ALSO DARTG AROUND, OVERSEEG PARTY ARRANGEMENTS, IS BARTON’S WIFE, SANNE BARTSCH, MANHATTAN’S ALTERNATIVE SCENE PARTY QUEEN.SHE IS DRSED A RED JUMPSU, AND IS FIZZG WH PARTY PLANNG ORRS AND IAS, AND IS BEG TRAILED BY A MERA CREW. THEY ARE MARRIED, THOUGH THEY SEPARATED A FEW YEARS AGO. APPARENTLY STILL CLOSE IENDS, THEY LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER CHELSEA, AND ARE CLEARLY MTED PARENTS TO THEIR 22-YEAR-OLD SON BAILEY, WHO IS STUDYG CLASSICS AT BROWN.“WE LL A WORK PROGRS,” BARTON SAYS OF HIS AND BARTSCH’S MARRIAGE. “WE GET ALONG GREAT, AND SOMETIM BETTER THAN OTHERS.”I ASK IF THEY’D CID NOT TO DIVORCE.“IT’S MORE THAT WE HAVEN’T CID NOT TO DIVORCE,” BARTON SAYS, SG. “WE’RE VERY MUCH EACH OTHER’S LIV. WE GET ALONG GREAT. WE WENT AWAY TOGETHER A UPLE OF WEEKS AGO. WE DO THGS WH OUR SON TOGETHER. I SEE HER ALL THE TIME.”BARTON PARTED PANY WH HIS SELF-NAMED GYM CHA 2013, HE TELLS ME, BORED BY THE RPORATE GRD OF NNG SO MANY GYMS.TMPL, HE HOP—40,000 SQUARE FEET, THREE LEVELS, THE UAL ATHETIC VIBE OF SEX, SWEAT, AND NIGHTCLUB, WH PUMPG MIC—WILL RTORE HIS GYM-OWNG MOJO.THERE IS THE GEO POOL, AND NO QUG FOR LEG MACH, WH A WHOLE SEMI-ROOM OF THEM.BARTON IS STRAIGHT, BUT LOOKS LIKE A SEXY GAY MCLE MARY; AND HIS GYMS HAVE ALWAYS ATTRACTED A HOT GAY CLIENTELE. BUT HE SAYS HE DIDN’T OPEN TMPL HELL’S KCHEN BEE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SUPPLANTED CHELSEA AS NEW YORK'S GROOVIT GAY-BORHOOD, BUT “ JT HAS A GREAT MIX OF PEOPLE HERE: GAY, STRAIGHT, CREATIVE PEOPLE, THERE’S JT A GREAT ENERGY. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WORKG DOWN THE STREET HOLDG PORTFOLS.”HE HAD BEEN WAG FOR THE SPACE, A FORMER GYM SELF, TO BE AVAILABLE: THE LEASE WAS SUDNLY EE TO BE SNAPPED UP LAST APRIL, AND BARTON POUNCED.THE MOST BUZZ MAY WELL SURROUND TMPL’S SPNG ROOM, WHICH FEATUR A HUGE IMAX-STYLE CEMA SCREEN, WHICH—AS YOU PEDAL AWAY—WILL IMMERSE YOU A PUTER-GAME LIKE, STRANGE, VIVIDLY-LORED WORLD OF ROLLERASTER TRACKS, MOUNTAS, PRECIPIC, AND OUTER SPACE.ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SETTG UP FOR BARTON SAYS HE HAS SEEN PEOPLE SCREAM AS THEY FD THEMSELV ENVELOPED THIS RTOON VISTA FOR 45-MUTE CLASS. “I FD MYSELF SCREAMG AND I’M NOT EVEN ON THE BIKE,” BARTON SAYS, LGHG. “IT’S A BATN OF A RI AT UNIVERSAL STUDS AND AN ACID FLASHBACK. WHATEVER I DO I WANT TO DO BETTER THAN ANYONE N FD ELSEWHERE. WH THIS, I THOUGHT, ‘HOW DO YOU TAKE SPNG AND MAKE AS OL AS N POSSIBLY BE?’” BARTON S HIS CUTE, IMPISH GR. “AT LEAST DISTRACTS YOU OM THE MONOTONY OR AGONY.”AFTER LEAVG THE WORLD OF GYMS BEHD, WHY E BACK TO ?I DID FOR 20 YEARS. IT BEME A BIG BS, AND I BEME A RPORATE CEO READG SPREADSHEETS THE OFFICE, STG AROUND WH PEOPLE SUS AND TI. FOR THIS NEW NCEPT I REALLY WANTED TO ROLL MY SLEEV UP AND BUILD ONE GREAT PLACE. I STARTED THAT PANY MY 20S AND I WANTED TO DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT AT 51.YOU DIDN’T WANT TO DO SOMETHG PLETELY DIFFERENT TO GYMS?I LOVE WHAT I DO. ON THE WORST DAY I LOVE G TO WORK, AND I DO LOVE BEG THE GYM. BUT I WASN’T HAVG AS MUCH FUN NNG A PANY THAT RAN GYMS. I DIDN’T ENJOY THAT, WAS TIME TO MOVE ON AND DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT. AT THIS GYM, WE WILL TREAT EVERY MEMBER DIVIDUALLY, AND ADDRS PEOPLE’S DIVIDUAL METABOLIC ISSU AND DISPTNS.HOW LIBERATELY SEXY ARE YOUR GYMS?I DO SEE THE GYM AS SOMETHG THAT SHOULD BE SEXY. I THK THAT’S WHY PEOPLE ASSOCIATE MY GYMS WH NIGHTCLUBS. IF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, ALL SPARSELY CLAD, WORKG OUT AND SWEATG TO PUMPG MIC ISN’T SEXY, WHAT IS? SOME GYMS HAVE MANAGED TO TAKE THIS VISCERAL, PRIMAL EXPERIENCE—OF WORKG OUT, PUMPG MCL, LISTENG TO MIC, AND BEG AROUND PEOPLE—AND TAKE THE SEXS OUT OF . HOW THEY DID I DON’T KNOW. TO ME, ’S HARD NOT MAKE SEXY.A GYM SHOULD MAKE SOMEONE FEEL SEXY. IT SHOULD STIMULATE EMOTN AND IMAGATN PARTLY THROUGH VISUAL PATHWAYS.SOMEONE BEG THIS GYM WILL FEEL SEXY. THE GYM SHOULD HELP YOU IMAGE YOURSELF WH THE BODY YOU’RE TRYG TO ACHIEVE, OR GETTG THE MOST THROUGH YOUR WORKOUT, OR THAT CERTA BODY YOU WANT TO SEE WHEN YOU LOOK THE MIRROR.HOW TO IGNE THE IMAGATN IS SOMETHG I THK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.ARE YOU RTARTG YOUR EMPIRE OR JT KEEPG TO THIS ONE?I DON’T KNOW IF I’M TERTED EMPIRE. I ULD SEE DOG A UPLE MORE, BUT AT SOME POT HAVG A LOT OF LOTNS MEANS ONE HAS TO SACRIFICE A LTLE NTROL OVER TAILS, AND TAILS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME. SOMETIM YOU START A BS WH IENDS FLIP-FLOPS, AND THEN YOU LOOK AROUND AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OM HR YOUR OFFICE TELLG YOU WHO YOU N’T FIRE, AND WHO YOU HAVE TO HIRE—AND JT BE THE VERY RPORATE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU CHOSE AN ENTREPRENRIAL LIFE TO AVOID. BUT I DID, DO, LOVE THE GYM.WERE YOU RTLS THE LAST THREE YEARS?AT FIRST WAS GOOD TO HAVE A RT. I WAS TIRED AND NEED A BREAK. IT WAS NICE TO TAKE A LTLE VATN—I TRAVELED A B AND THAT WAS SPIRG. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WH MY SON, WHICH WAS GREAT. BUT I GOT RTLS, AND BEGAN TO CUBATE IAS. SEEG THOSE IAS MATERIALIZE IS THE MOST EXCG PART OF THE BS.HAVE YOU ALWAYS LOVED THE GYM AND WORKG OUT?WHEN I WAS KID I WAS A LOT OF TROUBLE. THE GYM REALLY SAVED MY LIFE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO THE GYM WAS WHEN I WAS 12 OR 13. I ULD HAVE LIVED THERE. I KNEW I WAS HOME. I LOVED BEG AROUND WEIGHTS AND WORKG OUT. I NEVER GET TIRED OF BEG THE GYM—THAT GREAT EXPERIENCE, THAT GREAT FEELG I FELT WHEN I WORKED DIRTY, GNGE-Y, STY GYMS.THERE WAS ONE ON THE JERSEY SHORE THIS GUY’S BASEMENT, AND ANOTHER THIS BROOKLYN BACKYARD.THE LTLE GYMS WERE SET UP BY BODYBUILRS WH WHAT LTLE EQUIPMENT THEY ULD FD. THAT’S WHAT “GYMS” WERE BACK THEN. I’D HCH-HIKE TO GO TO A GYM, AND I GUS I TRIED TO RE-CREATE THAT MY GYMS FOR THE NON-HARDRE WEIGHTLIFTG MCLEMAN.I WANTED TO FE THE GYMS WH A GREAT MIX OF GR AND GLAMOUR: PEOPLE DON’T NECSARILY HAVE TO UNRSTAND , BUT SHOULD BE A FEELG THEY GET WHEN THEY WALK .YOU AND SANNE HAVE THAT AIR OF “GR AND GLAMOUR” AND DOWNTOWN OL OF ANOTHER TIME. HOW HAS NEW YORK CHANGED FOR YOU?NEW YORK HAS CHANGED A LOT. THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOG. THE ONE THG I LOVE ABOUT HELL’S KCHEN IS THAT IS STILL A NEIGHBORHOOD. ELSEWHERE YOU SEE MORE AND MORE GLASS NDOMIUMS AND CHA RTRANTS. I HATE TO SEE NEW YORK LOSE THE SOUL THAT MAK EXCG—THAT FEELG OF NEVER KNOWG WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT RNER. THE DIFFERENCE IS NOW YOU KNOW WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT RNER, AND ’S NOT THAT EXCG.YOU AND SANNE SEEM TO HAVE THAT OLD-TIME, EDGY SPIR STILL.I’D LIKE TO THK THAT. IF YOU GO TO SANNE’S PARTI, THERE ARE ALWAYS THE NEW GROUPS OF PEOPLE G TO NEW YORK AND GETTG THIS EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS SO NEW YORK.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AGG?IF YOU DIDN’T TELL ME I WAS 51 I WOULDN’T KNOW . (LGHS) I BOUNCE OUT OF BED THE MORNG. I REALLY DON’T FEEL THAT DIFFERENT TO HOW I DID AT 18. TURNG 50 ACTUALLY FELT GREAT. BUT WAS WEIRD TURNG 40. IT EAKED ME OUT, ME UP ON ME SO SUDNLY. I DID HAVE THIS FEELG OF WANTG TO BE 39. AT 50 I DIDN’T WANT TO BE MY 40S OR 30S. AT 50 I WAS HAPPY TO BE A OL 50-YEAR-OLD. I DIDN’T FEEL A SIRE TO BE 49.DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE NEW BS TANKG?I THK ONE ALWAYS WORRI THAT THGS WON’T GO AS WELL AS YOU LIKE. I THK I’VE VERED ALL MY BAS. I’VE TRIED TO CREATE SOMETHG THAT I THK PEOPLE ARE GOG TO LIKE. I’VE BUILT A GYM I LIKE. THE RPONSE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. WE PROJECTED 600 PEOPLE SIGNG UP FOR THE OPENG, AND WE’RE NOW CLOSE TO 2,000. FORTY PERCENT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT OM HELL’S KCHEN.WERE YOU TEMPTED TO DO SOMETHG TOTALLY DIFFERENT?I HAD A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT DOG SOMETHG ELSE, BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO GO TOO FAR OM NEW YORK. MY SON WANTS TO E LIVE HERE. MY MOTHER LIV A BLOCK OM ME, AS DO SANNE. THERE WAS ALWAYS A TEMPTATN TO GO TO THE UNTRY AND RAISE SCHNZERS. I THOUGHT ABOUT A QUIET FARM LIFE, TO EXPERIENCE NATURE, GROW VEGETABL AND LIVE OFF THE LAND. BUT THE END I REALLY WANTED TO BUILD THIS GYM. I LOVE GYMS.WHAT LI BENEATH THAT LOVE?IT’S ALMOST THE LAST THG OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE N’T DO ON THE PUTER. YOU HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO WORK OUT, TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE, AND HAVE SOCIAL TERACTN. PEOPLE HAVE FEWER AND FEWER OF THE TERACTNS CHARACTERIZED BY THGS LIKE EYE NTACT AND FEAR OF REJECTN—ALL THE THGS THAT MAKE LIFE EXCG.I THK THE GYM IS ONE OF THOSE PLAC THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO AND SOCIALIZE, AND MEET AND SEE EACH OTHER AND BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE AND DO THGS THAT ARE PHYSIL AND NOT STG AT THEIR KEYBOARDS.IT MT BE WEIRD NOT OWNG THE GYMS WH YOUR NAME ON THEM.THEY WERE ALL MY BABI ONE WAY OR OTHER, BUT AT SOME POT YOU THROW THE BABY BIRD OUT OF THE NT AND HATCH NEW BABI.I SOMETIM MISS CERTA THGS, SEEG THE DIFFERENT RULTS OF DIFFERENT CREATIVE MOMENTS AND SPIRATNS AT THOSE OTHER GYMS. IT WAS WEIRD AT FIRST TO SEE MY NAME LIVE ON WHOUT ME. I THK OF GOGOL’S STORY, “THE NOSE,” ABOUT A MAN WHOSE NOSE GO OFF DOWN THE STREET HAVG A LIFE OF S OWN AWAY OM HIM. IT FELT LIKE THAT, BUT I’M ED TO NOW.AND THE FUTURE?I’M PART OF A BAND, WHICH IS A SI GIG. MIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. I HAVE SOME OTHER BS IAS PERLATG. I HAVE A CHARMED LIFE: A GREAT SON, A WONRFUL DOG (BIPPY, A SCHNZER).HAVE YOU EVER WORN A SU?(LGHS) I’VE MANAGED TO AVOID WEARG A SU. I CHOSE A LIFE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXPECT ME TO WEAR A SU, AND I WOULD NEVER HAVE TO SHOW UP WEARG ONE. KENNY SCHARF, WHO SIGNED THE JEANS, ONCE SIGNED ANOTHER PAIR I WORE TO A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER-PARENT NFERENCE. I NOTICED A TEACHER STARG AT THE PANTS. I HADN’T REALIZED KENNY HAD MA A PAIR OF X-RATED JEANS: THEY WERE VERED PORNOGRAPHIC IMAG.WHAT'S YOUR MOST NVENTNAL ARTICLE OF CLOTHG?WHAT A GREAT QUTN. PROBABLY A PAIR OF VERY NSERVATIVE SOCKS. (LGHS) THERE’S A SWEATER AT HOME SOMEWHERE. I THK MY MOTHER GOT FOR ME, HOPG TO REEL ME OVER TO THE MORE TRADNAL SI OF FASHN. TIM TEEMAN
• IN WHICH WE DEFEND DAVID BARTON GYM AND ITS SWEATY GAYNS

MEET DAVID BARTON, KG OF THE PIMPED-OUT GYMPUMP IT UPHE NO LONGER NS THE CHA OF NIGHTCLUB-VIBED GYMS THAT BEAR HIS NAME, BUT AS HE OPENS HIS NEW YORK GYM, TMPL, DAVID BARTON TALKS HEALTH, SEX, AND FEELG GREAT AT 51.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 6:49PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 23, 2016 5:25AM EDT TIM TEEMAN/THE DAILY BEASTTHE SCENE IS A BLURRG RT OF WORKMEN RRYG PLANKS, EXTENSN LEADS, BANGG, DRILLG, GIANT FLATABLE ANIMALS STANDG GUARD NEXT TO A SWIMMG POOL, AND TWO FLOORS OF GLEAMG, UNED GYM EQUIPMENT.PERDILLY, THE EMERGENCY EVACUATN ANNOUNCEMENT IS TTED, WH ACPANYG MENTED WHIRRG.AT THE CENTER OF THE NTROLLED CHAOS, A 5-FOOT-5 EXTREMELY MCULAR MAN, DRSED LIKE A NEW ROMANTIC PIRATE, S GENTLY AT A REPORTER AND TELLS HIM THAT HE IS FOUR MUT EARLY, AND THAT EVERYTHG TODAY IS SCHLED TO THE LAST MUTE.IN A FEW HOURS TIME, NEW YORK’S MOST BETIFUL WILL SCEND ON DAVID BARTON’S NEW GYM, TMPL, HELL’S KCHEN FOR A R OPENG NIGHT PARTY—APPROPRIATE, BEE MUCH LIKE THE GYMS THAT MA, AND STILL RRY, BARTON’S NAME THIS ONE FEELS LIKE A NIGHTCLUB. AS BARTON’S GYM AFICNADOS WILL REGNIZE, ’S THERE THE DIM LIGHTG, THE PROUD LACK OF NATURAL LIGHT, THE MACH BLACK AND SLEEK THE GLOAM, AND THE VERY HANDSOME AND PRETTY WHO E TO WORK OUT THE BARTON WAY.AT THIS JOT, ’S ALSO RIGHT THERE THE HUGE PATG OF A PAIR OF RED LIPS, HOLDG A GOLN PILL. FOR BARTON, VERY PERSONALLY, EXERCISE IS BOTH THE DG THAT GIV HIM HIS BT HIGH, AND A MORE NOCENT CURE-ALL MEDICE. TMPL IS A PLAY ON “TEMPLE,” WHICH BARTON—WHO WORKS OUT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, PAIRG TWO MCLE GROUPS PER SSN—SAYS THE GYM IS TO HIM.“I LOVE GYMS,” HE SAYS. “I JT LOVE THE GYM. I LL THIS TMPL BEE THE GYM IS MY TEMPLE. THIS IS WHERE I E TO GET RIGHT WH THE UNIVERSE. I GUS IF I WAS A BUDDHIST I’D GO TO A BUDDHIST TEMPLE. THIS IS MY TEMPLE.”IT MT BE STRANGE, NOT OPENG THIS VENUE HIS OWN NAME. “DAVID BARTON GYM” IS A BRAND THAT IS NOW NOTHG TO DO WH HIM, BUT STILL WH GYMS NEW YORK, MIAMI, CHIGO, SEATTLE, LAS VEGAS, LOS ANGEL, AND BOSTON.HE DON’T SEEM DOWNST. INED, BARTON’S BODY IS ON FULL, PEACK DISPLAY. HIS TIGHT WHE JEANS HAVE PATED SCRAWLS OVER THEM BY ARTIST KENNY SCHARF. HE HAS BUTCH, BLACK BOOTS, A FAD STARS-AND-STRIP TANK STOP, AND A BLACK CLOAK, ALSO ARMLS, OVER THAT.HIS MOUNTAO BICEPS WOULD MAKE POPEYE CHUG PROTE SHAK, RATHER THAN SPACH. A BLACK HAT WH A GLTERY STRIP BARELY NCEALS A LTLE BLEACHED WLICK PEEPG OUT OM BELOW.BARTON LOOKS BOTH LIKE A GYM BUNNY, AND AN OLD-TIME DOWNTOWN BOHO, WHICH HE SORT OF IS. ALSO DARTG AROUND, OVERSEEG PARTY ARRANGEMENTS, IS BARTON’S WIFE, SANNE BARTSCH, MANHATTAN’S ALTERNATIVE SCENE PARTY QUEEN.SHE IS DRSED A RED JUMPSU, AND IS FIZZG WH PARTY PLANNG ORRS AND IAS, AND IS BEG TRAILED BY A MERA CREW. THEY ARE MARRIED, THOUGH THEY SEPARATED A FEW YEARS AGO. APPARENTLY STILL CLOSE IENDS, THEY LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER CHELSEA, AND ARE CLEARLY MTED PARENTS TO THEIR 22-YEAR-OLD SON BAILEY, WHO IS STUDYG CLASSICS AT BROWN.“WE LL A WORK PROGRS,” BARTON SAYS OF HIS AND BARTSCH’S MARRIAGE. “WE GET ALONG GREAT, AND SOMETIM BETTER THAN OTHERS.”I ASK IF THEY’D CID NOT TO DIVORCE.“IT’S MORE THAT WE HAVEN’T CID NOT TO DIVORCE,” BARTON SAYS, SG. “WE’RE VERY MUCH EACH OTHER’S LIV. WE GET ALONG GREAT. WE WENT AWAY TOGETHER A UPLE OF WEEKS AGO. WE DO THGS WH OUR SON TOGETHER. I SEE HER ALL THE TIME.”BARTON PARTED PANY WH HIS SELF-NAMED GYM CHA 2013, HE TELLS ME, BORED BY THE RPORATE GRD OF NNG SO MANY GYMS.TMPL, HE HOP—40,000 SQUARE FEET, THREE LEVELS, THE UAL ATHETIC VIBE OF SEX, SWEAT, AND NIGHTCLUB, WH PUMPG MIC—WILL RTORE HIS GYM-OWNG MOJO.THERE IS THE GEO POOL, AND NO QUG FOR LEG MACH, WH A WHOLE SEMI-ROOM OF THEM.BARTON IS STRAIGHT, BUT LOOKS LIKE A SEXY GAY MCLE MARY; AND HIS GYMS HAVE ALWAYS ATTRACTED A HOT GAY CLIENTELE. BUT HE SAYS HE DIDN’T OPEN TMPL HELL’S KCHEN BEE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SUPPLANTED CHELSEA AS NEW YORK'S GROOVIT GAY-BORHOOD, BUT “ JT HAS A GREAT MIX OF PEOPLE HERE: GAY, STRAIGHT, CREATIVE PEOPLE, THERE’S JT A GREAT ENERGY. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WORKG DOWN THE STREET HOLDG PORTFOLS.”HE HAD BEEN WAG FOR THE SPACE, A FORMER GYM SELF, TO BE AVAILABLE: THE LEASE WAS SUDNLY EE TO BE SNAPPED UP LAST APRIL, AND BARTON POUNCED.THE MOST BUZZ MAY WELL SURROUND TMPL’S SPNG ROOM, WHICH FEATUR A HUGE IMAX-STYLE CEMA SCREEN, WHICH—AS YOU PEDAL AWAY—WILL IMMERSE YOU A PUTER-GAME LIKE, STRANGE, VIVIDLY-LORED WORLD OF ROLLERASTER TRACKS, MOUNTAS, PRECIPIC, AND OUTER SPACE.ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SETTG UP FOR BARTON SAYS HE HAS SEEN PEOPLE SCREAM AS THEY FD THEMSELV ENVELOPED THIS RTOON VISTA FOR 45-MUTE CLASS. “I FD MYSELF SCREAMG AND I’M NOT EVEN ON THE BIKE,” BARTON SAYS, LGHG. “IT’S A BATN OF A RI AT UNIVERSAL STUDS AND AN ACID FLASHBACK. WHATEVER I DO I WANT TO DO BETTER THAN ANYONE N FD ELSEWHERE. WH THIS, I THOUGHT, ‘HOW DO YOU TAKE SPNG AND MAKE AS OL AS N POSSIBLY BE?’” BARTON S HIS CUTE, IMPISH GR. “AT LEAST DISTRACTS YOU OM THE MONOTONY OR AGONY.”AFTER LEAVG THE WORLD OF GYMS BEHD, WHY E BACK TO ?I DID FOR 20 YEARS. IT BEME A BIG BS, AND I BEME A RPORATE CEO READG SPREADSHEETS THE OFFICE, STG AROUND WH PEOPLE SUS AND TI. FOR THIS NEW NCEPT I REALLY WANTED TO ROLL MY SLEEV UP AND BUILD ONE GREAT PLACE. I STARTED THAT PANY MY 20S AND I WANTED TO DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT AT 51.YOU DIDN’T WANT TO DO SOMETHG PLETELY DIFFERENT TO GYMS?I LOVE WHAT I DO. ON THE WORST DAY I LOVE G TO WORK, AND I DO LOVE BEG THE GYM. BUT I WASN’T HAVG AS MUCH FUN NNG A PANY THAT RAN GYMS. I DIDN’T ENJOY THAT, WAS TIME TO MOVE ON AND DO SOMETHG DIFFERENT. AT THIS GYM, WE WILL TREAT EVERY MEMBER DIVIDUALLY, AND ADDRS PEOPLE’S DIVIDUAL METABOLIC ISSU AND DISPTNS.HOW LIBERATELY SEXY ARE YOUR GYMS?I DO SEE THE GYM AS SOMETHG THAT SHOULD BE SEXY. I THK THAT’S WHY PEOPLE ASSOCIATE MY GYMS WH NIGHTCLUBS. IF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, ALL SPARSELY CLAD, WORKG OUT AND SWEATG TO PUMPG MIC ISN’T SEXY, WHAT IS? SOME GYMS HAVE MANAGED TO TAKE THIS VISCERAL, PRIMAL EXPERIENCE—OF WORKG OUT, PUMPG MCL, LISTENG TO MIC, AND BEG AROUND PEOPLE—AND TAKE THE SEXS OUT OF . HOW THEY DID I DON’T KNOW. TO ME, ’S HARD NOT MAKE SEXY.A GYM SHOULD MAKE SOMEONE FEEL SEXY. IT SHOULD STIMULATE EMOTN AND IMAGATN PARTLY THROUGH VISUAL PATHWAYS.SOMEONE BEG THIS GYM WILL FEEL SEXY. THE GYM SHOULD HELP YOU IMAGE YOURSELF WH THE BODY YOU’RE TRYG TO ACHIEVE, OR GETTG THE MOST THROUGH YOUR WORKOUT, OR THAT CERTA BODY YOU WANT TO SEE WHEN YOU LOOK THE MIRROR.HOW TO IGNE THE IMAGATN IS SOMETHG I THK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.ARE YOU RTARTG YOUR EMPIRE OR JT KEEPG TO THIS ONE?I DON’T KNOW IF I’M TERTED EMPIRE. I ULD SEE DOG A UPLE MORE, BUT AT SOME POT HAVG A LOT OF LOTNS MEANS ONE HAS TO SACRIFICE A LTLE NTROL OVER TAILS, AND TAILS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME. SOMETIM YOU START A BS WH IENDS FLIP-FLOPS, AND THEN YOU LOOK AROUND AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OM HR YOUR OFFICE TELLG YOU WHO YOU N’T FIRE, AND WHO YOU HAVE TO HIRE—AND JT BE THE VERY RPORATE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU CHOSE AN ENTREPRENRIAL LIFE TO AVOID. BUT I DID, DO, LOVE THE GYM.WERE YOU RTLS THE LAST THREE YEARS?AT FIRST WAS GOOD TO HAVE A RT. I WAS TIRED AND NEED A BREAK. IT WAS NICE TO TAKE A LTLE VATN—I TRAVELED A B AND THAT WAS SPIRG. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WH MY SON, WHICH WAS GREAT. BUT I GOT RTLS, AND BEGAN TO CUBATE IAS. SEEG THOSE IAS MATERIALIZE IS THE MOST EXCG PART OF THE BS.HAVE YOU ALWAYS LOVED THE GYM AND WORKG OUT?WHEN I WAS KID I WAS A LOT OF TROUBLE. THE GYM REALLY SAVED MY LIFE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO THE GYM WAS WHEN I WAS 12 OR 13. I ULD HAVE LIVED THERE. I KNEW I WAS HOME. I LOVED BEG AROUND WEIGHTS AND WORKG OUT. I NEVER GET TIRED OF BEG THE GYM—THAT GREAT EXPERIENCE, THAT GREAT FEELG I FELT WHEN I WORKED DIRTY, GNGE-Y, STY GYMS.THERE WAS ONE ON THE JERSEY SHORE THIS GUY’S BASEMENT, AND ANOTHER THIS BROOKLYN BACKYARD.THE LTLE GYMS WERE SET UP BY BODYBUILRS WH WHAT LTLE EQUIPMENT THEY ULD FD. THAT’S WHAT “GYMS” WERE BACK THEN. I’D HCH-HIKE TO GO TO A GYM, AND I GUS I TRIED TO RE-CREATE THAT MY GYMS FOR THE NON-HARDRE WEIGHTLIFTG MCLEMAN.I WANTED TO FE THE GYMS WH A GREAT MIX OF GR AND GLAMOUR: PEOPLE DON’T NECSARILY HAVE TO UNRSTAND , BUT SHOULD BE A FEELG THEY GET WHEN THEY WALK .YOU AND SANNE HAVE THAT AIR OF “GR AND GLAMOUR” AND DOWNTOWN OL OF ANOTHER TIME. HOW HAS NEW YORK CHANGED FOR YOU?NEW YORK HAS CHANGED A LOT. THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOG. THE ONE THG I LOVE ABOUT HELL’S KCHEN IS THAT IS STILL A NEIGHBORHOOD. ELSEWHERE YOU SEE MORE AND MORE GLASS NDOMIUMS AND CHA RTRANTS. I HATE TO SEE NEW YORK LOSE THE SOUL THAT MAK EXCG—THAT FEELG OF NEVER KNOWG WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT RNER. THE DIFFERENCE IS NOW YOU KNOW WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT RNER, AND ’S NOT THAT EXCG.YOU AND SANNE SEEM TO HAVE THAT OLD-TIME, EDGY SPIR STILL.I’D LIKE TO THK THAT. IF YOU GO TO SANNE’S PARTI, THERE ARE ALWAYS THE NEW GROUPS OF PEOPLE G TO NEW YORK AND GETTG THIS EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS SO NEW YORK.HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AGG?IF YOU DIDN’T TELL ME I WAS 51 I WOULDN’T KNOW . (LGHS) I BOUNCE OUT OF BED THE MORNG. I REALLY DON’T FEEL THAT DIFFERENT TO HOW I DID AT 18. TURNG 50 ACTUALLY FELT GREAT. BUT WAS WEIRD TURNG 40. IT EAKED ME OUT, ME UP ON ME SO SUDNLY. I DID HAVE THIS FEELG OF WANTG TO BE 39. AT 50 I DIDN’T WANT TO BE MY 40S OR 30S. AT 50 I WAS HAPPY TO BE A OL 50-YEAR-OLD. I DIDN’T FEEL A SIRE TO BE 49.DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE NEW BS TANKG?I THK ONE ALWAYS WORRI THAT THGS WON’T GO AS WELL AS YOU LIKE. I THK I’VE VERED ALL MY BAS. I’VE TRIED TO CREATE SOMETHG THAT I THK PEOPLE ARE GOG TO LIKE. I’VE BUILT A GYM I LIKE. THE RPONSE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. WE PROJECTED 600 PEOPLE SIGNG UP FOR THE OPENG, AND WE’RE NOW CLOSE TO 2,000. FORTY PERCENT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT OM HELL’S KCHEN.WERE YOU TEMPTED TO DO SOMETHG TOTALLY DIFFERENT?I HAD A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT DOG SOMETHG ELSE, BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO GO TOO FAR OM NEW YORK. MY SON WANTS TO E LIVE HERE. MY MOTHER LIV A BLOCK OM ME, AS DO SANNE. THERE WAS ALWAYS A TEMPTATN TO GO TO THE UNTRY AND RAISE SCHNZERS. I THOUGHT ABOUT A QUIET FARM LIFE, TO EXPERIENCE NATURE, GROW VEGETABL AND LIVE OFF THE LAND. BUT THE END I REALLY WANTED TO BUILD THIS GYM. I LOVE GYMS.WHAT LI BENEATH THAT LOVE?IT’S ALMOST THE LAST THG OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE N’T DO ON THE PUTER. YOU HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO WORK OUT, TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE, AND HAVE SOCIAL TERACTN. PEOPLE HAVE FEWER AND FEWER OF THE TERACTNS CHARACTERIZED BY THGS LIKE EYE NTACT AND FEAR OF REJECTN—ALL THE THGS THAT MAKE LIFE EXCG.I THK THE GYM IS ONE OF THOSE PLAC THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO AND SOCIALIZE, AND MEET AND SEE EACH OTHER AND BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE AND DO THGS THAT ARE PHYSIL AND NOT STG AT THEIR KEYBOARDS.IT MT BE WEIRD NOT OWNG THE GYMS WH YOUR NAME ON THEM.THEY WERE ALL MY BABI ONE WAY OR OTHER, BUT AT SOME POT YOU THROW THE BABY BIRD OUT OF THE NT AND HATCH NEW BABI.I SOMETIM MISS CERTA THGS, SEEG THE DIFFERENT RULTS OF DIFFERENT CREATIVE MOMENTS AND SPIRATNS AT THOSE OTHER GYMS. IT WAS WEIRD AT FIRST TO SEE MY NAME LIVE ON WHOUT ME. I THK OF GOGOL’S STORY, “THE NOSE,” ABOUT A MAN WHOSE NOSE GO OFF DOWN THE STREET HAVG A LIFE OF S OWN AWAY OM HIM. IT FELT LIKE THAT, BUT I’M ED TO NOW.AND THE FUTURE?I’M PART OF A BAND, WHICH IS A SI GIG. MIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. I HAVE SOME OTHER BS IAS PERLATG. I HAVE A CHARMED LIFE: A GREAT SON, A WONRFUL DOG (BIPPY, A SCHNZER).HAVE YOU EVER WORN A SU?(LGHS) I’VE MANAGED TO AVOID WEARG A SU. I CHOSE A LIFE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXPECT ME TO WEAR A SU, AND I WOULD NEVER HAVE TO SHOW UP WEARG ONE. KENNY SCHARF, WHO SIGNED THE JEANS, ONCE SIGNED ANOTHER PAIR I WORE TO A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER-PARENT NFERENCE. I NOTICED A TEACHER STARG AT THE PANTS. I HADN’T REALIZED KENNY HAD MA A PAIR OF X-RATED JEANS: THEY WERE VERED PORNOGRAPHIC IMAG.WHAT'S YOUR MOST NVENTNAL ARTICLE OF CLOTHG?WHAT A GREAT QUTN. PROBABLY A PAIR OF VERY NSERVATIVE SOCKS. (LGHS) THERE’S A SWEATER AT HOME SOMEWHERE. I THK MY MOTHER GOT FOR ME, HOPG TO REEL ME OVER TO THE MORE TRADNAL SI OF FASHN. TIM TEEMAN

People seem to want you to be gay, lol.

Somebody said to me, "They say you're gay. " They said, "The gays.

I have all the gay gen except the one where you like sleepg wh you've never even tried ? Not, you're not gay, but are you a gay in?

IN WHICH WE DEFEND DAVID BARTON GYM AND ITS SWEATY GAYNS

(Lghs) No, but I like to thk that somebody nsirs me a gay in.

RIVER'S EDGEMore of a mental and emotnal workout, Take Me To The River is Matt Sobel's tensely atmospheric film about a gay teen who go wh his parents to a Nebraska fay rnn red shorts and shas while tryg to hold back revelatns about his sexualy, even though they would clear him accatns that sprg up about his behavr wh a young female .

He said, "I play the California gay teen that's totally separated om this world, but he tends to realize that everyone has their own thgs they're gog through and everyone's tryg to work their way through the crazs of fay dynamics and life.