Hairstylist Roger Lydon grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn, believe it or not. Who would have thought that a kid who fought his way through a childhood worthy of a Scorsese epic would make his living snipping, dyeing, and primping the hair of models for fashion magazines? “If the guys back home could see me,” reckons Roger, “I’d definitely have some explaining to do!” But we thank Christ every issue that Rog isn’t afraid to let his instinct for mane maintenance loose! His dream coif? “I would absolutely love to work on James Gandolfini’s hair,” Roger admits. “There isn’t a lot of it, but he is so expressive and alive that I know I would really vibe off of him!” See Break Out!, p. 83 HAMILTON BROWN
“Anyone who isn’t worried about this election is either ignorant or just plain dumb,” says Vice political correspondent Hamilton Brown. On page 97, Brown tells us exactly what to be scared of—and why. “It is all about gay marriage,” he explains. “Every single ill in our nation today can be boiled down to, and represented by, that one issue. I swear.” While doing this story, he learned a little about love himself. “I couldn’t wait to get home every night and hug my kids,” he admits. “Without the love of your family, life is one big shame spiral wrapped in a circus of lies.” See My Two Daddies, p. 97 DIANE CROYDON
When Diane agreed to go to Sudan for this issue, she wasn’t sure what she was getting into. “I knew it was in Africa, and that it was messy,” she says, “but beyond that I wasn’t prepared. “It’s screwed up over there,” Diane continues. “Did you know that they send Arab-descended natives into African-descended native villages on camels to rape, kill, and burn the places to the ground? It is off the chain!” Diane’s writing has appeared in National Geographic, Time, and Scientific American, but her biggest thrill was being published in her hometown paper back in Wichita. “My father saw my byline there just before he succumbed to brain cancer,” she explains. “That meant more to me than anything!” See Zulu Nation: The African-American Experience, p. 68