Is Vladimar Putin Gay?

I'm beginning to believe he is (and there's  nothing wrong with that.)  In fact, I think an "openly gay" (stupid phrase) President of any country you want to claim would be perfectly fine.

As for my own suspicions ...we rarely get to see him wearing a shirt.  Granted that age 66, he does look to be in shape, Putsie, you might want to look into some quick breast removal surgery.  The arms look fine; cannot report on the state of whether he has legs or not; never seen them

And then today - the issuance of the Vladimir Putin Calendar of 2019!  Surely as happy a day in Russia as the Nouvelle Beaujolais arrival is in France.  O/T I've never understood why - it's a really shitty wine.  Acid, sour … Rise up Pinot Grigio!

Scenes from actual 2019 calendar photos show him: on a dock, gingerly holding up a biggish dead fish, the fish-holding arm holding it shows off his well turned arms.  The expression on his face defines repulsion.

In a swank ornate room, holding up a treat for a blond and white dog that is (on his back legs as tall as Putin.)  He owns three great big dogs.  Apparently the most photogenic got the photo opp.  

His annual private polar bear swim is faithfully documented.   He appears to be standing inside a sort of cattle pen with in the background  a trio of men in floor-length winter coats in case you miss the point  that IT'S COLD! out here!

The most entertaining shot was Putin riding a bear (yes, you read that right) in a forest with another bear in the somewhat distant tree line.  The bear looks comfortable and, of course, Putin is giving his usual stern expression.  As in, "Where I spit, no grass ever grows."

Curious as to what a normal day would be for him, I discovered that he stays up very, very late and doesn't get up until noon when he is served breakfast - varies from porridge or omelet with quail eggs and juice on the side.  His favorite ice cream flavor is pistachio.  Because it's a hard nut to crack just like him?  When he's finished, he has his coffee.

And then he might workout in his private gym (his workout clothing being a plain white t-shirt and a pair of track pants said to have cost $3,200 - clearly Target has not gone to Russia yet ) or swim for two hours (an aide says he gets his best ideas while swimming)  or he might schedule an ice hockey game with his bodyguards.  You think they give him as good as they get?  Not on your tintype.  Beat Putin and spend the rest of your life bragging about it from prison would be my guess.

What made me write this column was a shot of Putin and a younger (probably mid-30s) man toasting each other with raised coffee cups.  The look they're giving each other tells it all or did to me.  But Putin married Ludmilla in 1983 when he was 31 and divorced in 2014.  He has two or three daughters (no one has ever penetrated the steel curtain of privacy that he demands) to find out for sure.  Thus the guy in the photo of the toasting gents is NOT a son of his.     But clearly on very good terms indeed.  Good for Putsie!  Score for the home team!