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Shai Shahar was born at dawn on Sunday, September 12, 1954 in Washington, DC... was raised in Philadelphia, and left home for good at age 17 to study and see the world.
After attending university in California Shai joined the US Army and was stationed in Europe during the height of the Cold War [1976-79]
In 1980 he left the Army to emigrate to Israel where he became a citizen, changed his name, joined the IDF, married, had a daughter, and fought in the Lebanon.
In early 1990 Shai divorced, left Israel and started a new life.
He came to Holland as a free-lance journalist, joining forces with British correspondent and film-maker Peter Forbes [ 'White Mail' ] and soon became chummy with local newsmakers and visiting dignitaries..as well as figures in the local Dutch 'underground'.
He won respect by co-producing documentaries for national televison [ NOVA ] featuring interviews with IRA informants, S.A Drug couriers, Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro, and each of the Presidential candidates in the 1992 US election...among others.
For kicks on the side, Shai also started a band called Streetwise which played the club circuit in Amsterdam from 1993-1995. He also made guest appearances on stage with artists such as Eddie Floyd , the Blues Bros. Band, and Lee Towers.
Through a chance meeting at a diplomatic reception in The Hague, Shai was invited into the world of back-rooms and bedrooms as a [well]-paid escort for women of means & discretion..the wives of diplomats and tycoons...."who shall forever remain anonymous".
Within 5 years he'd earned a whispered reputation for being the best skilled & highest paid escort in' the biz'...as well as being one half of the hottest live-sex duo then performing at Amsterdam's prestigious Cassa Rosso and Moulin Rouge Theaters.
But he kept his 'second life 'secret from everyone
including his band members and musician friends.
In 1995 he helped organize and performed at some of Holland's most outrageously scandalous underground
parties and fetish fashion shows and helped to organize the infamous Ladies Sunday Experiment in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. putting men behind the windows for women to pick, choose and pay for....
[So much for discretion!]
Once the press got hold of the story, and confirmed the rumours of his past life, Shai was all over the news..making the headlines in over 80 countries.
He was featured in Playboy, Penthouse, HEEB.. and interviewed on morning radio shows across the planet. [Shai calls himself the 1st man to be famous for 15 minutes..]
After attending university in California Shai joined the US Army and was stationed in Europe during the height of the Cold War [1976-79]
In 1980 he left the Army to emigrate to Israel where he became a citizen, changed his name, joined the IDF, married, had a daughter, and fought in the Lebanon.
In early 1990 Shai divorced, left Israel and started a new life.
He came to Holland as a free-lance journalist, joining forces with British correspondent and film-maker Peter Forbes [ 'White Mail' ] and soon became chummy with local newsmakers and visiting dignitaries..as well as figures in the local Dutch 'underground'.
He won respect by co-producing documentaries for national televison [ NOVA ] featuring interviews with IRA informants, S.A Drug couriers, Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro, and each of the Presidential candidates in the 1992 US election...among others.
For kicks on the side, Shai also started a band called Streetwise which played the club circuit in Amsterdam from 1993-1995. He also made guest appearances on stage with artists such as Eddie Floyd , the Blues Bros. Band, and Lee Towers.
Through a chance meeting at a diplomatic reception in The Hague, Shai was invited into the world of back-rooms and bedrooms as a [well]-paid escort for women of means & discretion..the wives of diplomats and tycoons...."who shall forever remain anonymous".
Within 5 years he'd earned a whispered reputation for being the best skilled & highest paid escort in' the biz'...as well as being one half of the hottest live-sex duo then performing at Amsterdam's prestigious Cassa Rosso and Moulin Rouge Theaters.
But he kept his 'second life 'secret from everyone
including his band members and musician friends.
In 1995 he helped organize and performed at some of Holland's most outrageously scandalous underground
parties and fetish fashion shows and helped to organize the infamous Ladies Sunday Experiment in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. putting men behind the windows for women to pick, choose and pay for....
[So much for discretion!]
Once the press got hold of the story, and confirmed the rumours of his past life, Shai was all over the news..making the headlines in over 80 countries.
He was featured in Playboy, Penthouse, HEEB.. and interviewed on morning radio shows across the planet. [Shai calls himself the 1st man to be famous for 15 minutes..]
Shai as DJ Darko -photo: Daniel Landau
Soon film-makers, TV producers and radio stars were beating a path to his door and wanting to capitalize on his notoriety.
It was another chance meeting behind the scene's of Holland's most popular daytime chat show [Catherine Keyl]
that Shai met and fell in love with Dutch sex coach, internet guru, stage artist and radio presenter Cora Emens.
Shai's warm voice and sharp wit. combined with an extraordinary knowledge of music earned him a two year gig as the Saturday Night Man for the Dutch Q-Radio FM..plus thousands of fans.
Andres Serrano, the controversial photographer [and cover artist for bands like Metallica..] asked Shai to participate in a project called "A History of Sex"..the resultant photo soon became the hottest selling postcard on Serrano's 5 country museum tour.
This was followed up by Shai being chosen to be the billboard/glossy advert model for Accu2. the London watch manufacturer..as photographed by Erwin Olaf
Fact: casting Israeli ex-commando Oded Fehr, as the 'real gigolo' in the Deuce Bigalow movies and setting it's sequel in Amsterdam was a tip of the hat to Shai and an inside joke for all who know the legend of his real-life adventures.....his 'secret' past.
In early 2001 Shai returned to the land of his birth, eventually landing in Los Angeles where he partied with celebs and musicans...worked as an extra on movie sets..and worked on re-inventing his image...and changing his life yet again.
By the early fall of that year Shai was already guesting as a swinger/crooner/ saloon singer with bands like the Swinging Deacons at the famous Derby Club and appearing at clubs on the legendary Sunset Strip.
Shai was soon invited to Vegas to try out for the Rat Pack revival show at the MGM Grand, and in the process landed a gig as MCee for the big party/ fashion show held for the Oscar-winning costume designers of Nicole Kidman's corset in the film "Moulin Rouge".
The events of 9-11 changed everything and in early 2002 Shai
decided to make his way back to Holland and his lady, Cora.
He opened a one-man show at Utrecht's Festival aan de Werf which was followed up by three seasons of travelling across Europe with BZAZ in two award winning, critically acclaimed theater productions [see the stage page]
In late 2005 Shai was invited to jam at one of Holland's oldest established private Jazz clubs [Langs de Lijn] where he impressed the owners so much they 're-introduced' him to other jazz club managers, and musicians. [see the gallery]
In early 2007 Shai was chosen to front the reconstituted
Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra, originally from the
famed Cotton Club, NYC...and recorded three numbers
with them for their Rhythm Is Our Business CD. He is also
appearing in and co-producing video documentaries for
Dutch and Int'l televison, and performing regularly with
the immensely popular Burlesque shows in Amsterdam.
It was another chance meeting behind the scene's of Holland's most popular daytime chat show [Catherine Keyl]
that Shai met and fell in love with Dutch sex coach, internet guru, stage artist and radio presenter Cora Emens.
Shai's warm voice and sharp wit. combined with an extraordinary knowledge of music earned him a two year gig as the Saturday Night Man for the Dutch Q-Radio FM..plus thousands of fans.
Andres Serrano, the controversial photographer [and cover artist for bands like Metallica..] asked Shai to participate in a project called "A History of Sex"..the resultant photo soon became the hottest selling postcard on Serrano's 5 country museum tour.
This was followed up by Shai being chosen to be the billboard/glossy advert model for Accu2. the London watch manufacturer..as photographed by Erwin Olaf
Fact: casting Israeli ex-commando Oded Fehr, as the 'real gigolo' in the Deuce Bigalow movies and setting it's sequel in Amsterdam was a tip of the hat to Shai and an inside joke for all who know the legend of his real-life adventures.....his 'secret' past.
In early 2001 Shai returned to the land of his birth, eventually landing in Los Angeles where he partied with celebs and musicans...worked as an extra on movie sets..and worked on re-inventing his image...and changing his life yet again.
By the early fall of that year Shai was already guesting as a swinger/crooner/ saloon singer with bands like the Swinging Deacons at the famous Derby Club and appearing at clubs on the legendary Sunset Strip.
Shai was soon invited to Vegas to try out for the Rat Pack revival show at the MGM Grand, and in the process landed a gig as MCee for the big party/ fashion show held for the Oscar-winning costume designers of Nicole Kidman's corset in the film "Moulin Rouge".
The events of 9-11 changed everything and in early 2002 Shai
decided to make his way back to Holland and his lady, Cora.
He opened a one-man show at Utrecht's Festival aan de Werf which was followed up by three seasons of travelling across Europe with BZAZ in two award winning, critically acclaimed theater productions [see the stage page]
In late 2005 Shai was invited to jam at one of Holland's oldest established private Jazz clubs [Langs de Lijn] where he impressed the owners so much they 're-introduced' him to other jazz club managers, and musicians. [see the gallery]
In early 2007 Shai was chosen to front the reconstituted
Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra, originally from the
famed Cotton Club, NYC...and recorded three numbers
with them for their Rhythm Is Our Business CD. He is also
appearing in and co-producing video documentaries for
Dutch and Int'l televison, and performing regularly with
the immensely popular Burlesque shows in Amsterdam.
The Official Biography of Shai Shahar: 1954-