News: David Forest Returns With New Ventures

David Forest is on the phone. Fresh out of rehab, the flamboyant talent manager sounds happy and healthy after spending the past three months in a facility near Palmdale, California. “I’m glad I endured prison years ago,” the almost-60-year-old laughs, referring to his incarceration in the ’90s on pandering charges. “It got me used to living the institutionalized life!”

Forest, who sold his business in a highly publicized deal with FabScout Entertainment last July, was supposed to be in for four months but was released after three following a judge’s decision. He is now back at home in Van Nuys—with a bit of extra weight, he admits—and ready to start the next chapter of his life. “I learned that drugs and alcohol are for the birds,” Forest says. “I think, 35 years of partying, what a waste of a lot of money! Sobering up, I can see everything clearly now. I can see the shit of this smut business.”

That’s the biz that has kept Forest working with porn superstars such as Ryan Idol, Ken Ryker and Billy Herrington for the past 27 years. And even though he’s been out of action, his clients were still in the spotlight, thanks to deals he set up before selling his company. Superstar Zeb Atlas, currently making a splash in Falcon Studios’ Best Men, had Forest negotiate for both his oral and topping scenes earlier this year. “Zeb’s movie is a tremendous hit and he is a tremendous star,” Forest boasts. “I got him a lot of money for those two scenes. Now, he’s done it all. What else does he want to do? He may want to produce his own movies. Who knows?”

Another Forest favorite is bodybuilder Mark Dalton, who is still in prison in Texas. Forest says he is likely to return to the industry soon. “Mark gets out on February 16. He’s doing all right. He knows he fucked up and will hopefully be ready to get back to work. We’ll see.” In the meantime, Forest has launched Forest Meetings, a new incarnation of his private-meeting program, where he initiates introductions between stars and their, er, fans. “I love connecting men to the models,” Forest says. “And I’ve got some great new guys, including Brent Diggs, who has done work for the Randy Blue Web site; Rocky Sanoma; Adam Killian, who co-stars with Zeb in his big Best Men scene; and adorable Jonathan Lowe. Of course, I still have Zeb Atlas, Johnny Castle, Tony Capucci and Billy Brandt, who is living in Denver and returning to private work.”

Forest, who worked in the music industry for many years pre-porn managing artists such as ZZ Top, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, is also planning a return to the mainstream. He has created Forest Casting, a company that will book gay porn talent in mainstream movie, TV and Internet projects. “Who better to do full frontal or simulated gay sex in major projects than guys who do it for real in porn?” Forest asks. He says he has gotten two top models work in an upcoming motion picture in which they use their real names in the credits. But he promises they will be recognizable to porn fans. “I’ll be doing casting for nonadult mainstream productions only,” he says. “I won’t be representing talent. I’m no longer in the gay XXX management business and will not in any way compete with the folks who bought my former company.”

And he says he will also stay on the path of clean-and-sober living. “I have no interest in drugs and alcohol now,” Forest says. “I have lived 60 years, and I want to live another 60.” And he hints, he might even have time now to work on that long-awaited book about his life. “I just keep living and adding chapters!” he says.

For more info, visit ForestMeetings.com and ForestCasting.com.