An antigay psychologist's recent trip to Europe with a gay male escort from Miami has captivated readers and viewers around the world.
Salacious stories have been published from South Florida to New Zealand, and it has been the butt of jokes by Jay Leno, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
And on Friday, the young escort at the center of the scandal spoke with CNN correspondent Randi Kaye for Anderson Cooper's prime-time show.
Jo-vanni Roman — a k a Geo and Lucien — told Kaye that psychologist George A. Rekers, an officer of the conservative National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) and a retired University of South Carolina professor, paid him $75 a day plus expenses to travel with him for two weeks in April to London and Madrid.
Included for the money: Roman, 20, would give nude "sexual" massages to Rekers, 61, every day during their trip, the younger man told Kaye.
Gay activists and bloggers have pounced on the story: Rekers, a well-known antigay activist, recently was paid more than $120,000 by Florida to testify in defense of the state's gay-adoption ban.
Earlier this week, Rekers acknowledged traveling with Roman but denied having sex with him. The professor said he hired Roman to carry his luggage during their trip.
Rekers did not respond to several e-mailed requests for comment.
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