I caught up with Jameson Farn for a behind-the-scenes look at his new book Bathhouse Babylon.
It’s rammed full of untold tales from working in a gay sauna – the good, the bad, and the horny.
Why did you decide to write about your bathhouse experiences and share them with the world?
Although my work has thankfully kept me busy during the pandemic, there was still a lot of restrictions on many aspects of life in France. So, to keep myself occupied – and under the suggestion of many friends – I thought it was time to pull out the diaries I kept from when I used to work at the bathhouses in North America.
I wanted to see what I could make of it all.
It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on, even with all the varied emotional elements involved.
The book includes some really vivid anecdotes about some of the characters you encountered and dramas you had to navigate – does working in a bathhouse make you almost unshockable?
I always loved the job, no matter what was happening – there was a thrill to it all.
At the time, I just moved forward as best as possible with everything as it came about, and tried to evolve with it all.
I also prefer that edgier side of life – I’m easily bored with predictability, so I accepted the best and worst of every situation.
Working in a bathhouse seemed to bring all of that in a very in-your-face type of way – literally.
I wouldn’t say that I’ve seen it all, but I have definitely seen a lot from another side other than a customer – it was my place of work every day of the week.
Is a bathhouse a good place to work?
I loved working at a bathhouse and never hid the fact that it was what I did for a living.
You don’t make big money, but you meet everyone, from every walk of life. It’s an opportunity – especially if you’re young – to learn how to have a rapport with all kinds of men.
All types of people work in a bathhouse – no matter their educational or financial backgrounds. Some are happy and proud to let people know they work in one. Others – depending on how they live and their situation – may prefer to tell people they work at a fitness center or nightclub.
Being in that business for over a decade, you do experience almost everything imaginable. On a daily basis, you see a side of life that not many get to experience, and it can take a toll and leave you very jaded if you don’t have a proper life balance set in place.
I failed at that sometimes, but I’ve also learned a lot from it. It’s actually been beneficial in how I live now.
Having worked in a bathhouse, do you still enjoy visiting bathhouses as a customer?
After I left the bathhouse world, I stayed away from those businesses for quite some time. I’d been so attached to them for so long that I wanted to form a new way of living.
Plus, the city that I lived in only had two bathhouse options. From what I heard, there was a lot of drug use and they didn’t seem safe or appealing.
I then moved to France, started a new relationship – that was monogamous – and then came the pandemic. So, I haven’t really been back.
If someone hadn’t been to a bathhouse before but was interested in exploring that kind of experience, what advice or guidance would you give them?
We used to say it was almost like a rite of passage for any man to experience a bathhouse – some end up loving it, some hate it.
If you’ve never been, there’s no harm in trying.
You’re not forced to do anything, and people of every nationality and body-type go to bathhouses.
Many men tend to worry that they will run into someone they know in a bathhouse. If you’re hesitant about going to one where you live, the next time you are on a business trip or holiday, make it part of your entertainment plan – it could end up being the highlight of your trip.
If you’re unsure what kind of crowd a particular bathhouse caters to, you can check online for reviews but take those with a grain of salt.
When you get to the bathhouse, the employees can help point out what their facility is about – we’re used to people showing up for their first visit.
If it’s your first time, you’ll probably have an idea of what a bathhouse will be like, but try to be realistic – so many first-time visitors arrive with the grandest of fantasies of what will take place for them, only to be disappointed. Just be yourself and all the fun stuff will happen
These are places where men also come to just relax from the outside world, so keep your expectations on an even level.
Men in bathhouses also seem to become more intuitive and get straight to the point, so if you give off a vibe like you are vulnerable and scared, or have a big ego, it will dictate what kind of men come your way and what you end up doing.
What do you hope that people feel when reading Bathhouse Babylon?
Everything written in the book was based on my personal experiences – I’m not some sort of bathhouse guru.
I’m a very observational person and wanted to take people on a journey. As in life, there are plenty of ups and downs in the bathhouse world.
As part of the LGBTQ community – no matter what we do – we should make note of it in whatever form possible so that the generations after us can look back upon what we’ve experienced. Hopefully, it can be a form of life-skills guide for them.
I want to show that no matter what type of work you do – even if you don’t think it might lead to much now – the people you work with and cater to can teach you lessons that can come in handy for your future.
Get your hands on Bathhouse Babylon
Follow Gay French Riviera on Twitter for updates on Bathhouse Babylon
I have been to only one bathhouse and I can’t wait to go again. Walked around in a very skimpy pair of panties and felt so free in front of other men. Got called into a room and was not only wonderfully rimmed but also roughly fucked from behind. Loved it, going again soon.
Clearly this is fantasy – the majority of men that go to gay saunas do NOT all look like this. Seriously false representation. When men are built in tis way – they rarely get out of their clothes because people soon realize there is nothing more to these men but the outer look. And they don’t want to be exposed to showing they are no different than anyone else.
What did you expect then to show the guys that everyone at the bathhouse avoids? That would not get many people interested in reading the article now would it?
The photographic representation in this post is the editorial decision of Squirt and shouldn’t be confused by whatever Mr. Farn has written.
What a false representation of a bathhouse. All these guys are well built and of course models. You don’t see guys like that in a bathhouse. Time for squirt to get real.
I’ve been to dozens of saunas all over the USA and Canada and only rarely saw the type of guys in this article…BUT…that’s hardly the point! The point (for me) was: give it a go; that particular scene appeals to some, but not others. I…fucking…loved…it!!! The freedom, nudity, cocks, mouths, jizz, variety, anything you want (or not!) I guess what I’m saying is…go and expect little or nothing. You’ll probably have a good (great?) time.
I’m with you, Deeptongue. Yes – the images in this article are taken from promo shots. I’ve always found that you get a real range of guys at a bathhouse. Everyone from guys that look like porn stars, to actual porn stars, and lots of everyday guys just looking for some fun. Bathhouses are a key part of our history, but also are a really important homo-social space for the men of today. Gareth.
To the idiots complaining about the pictures, how about READING THE DAMN ARTICLE?
From the written part: ” . . . people of every nationality and body-type go to bathhouses. ”
All of the pictures accompanying this article are, most likely, from porn films shot in bathhouses and/or saunas since I’m pretty sure most bathhouses and saunas prohibit recording equipment past the front desk (unless, of course, you’re filming a porn video and have rented out the entire facility or you’ve gotten signed agreements from the real patrons–likely with some payment–if they happen to be caught on camera or you agree to blur out their faces).
Do you morons need some sort of disclaimer on all of these type of articles? Something like “images accompanying this article do not necessarily reflect real patrons you may encounter in bathhouses?” (Do you also believe stories where every guy has a 10″ cock that just magically slides into a “virgin” ass?)
Then again, maybe all you whiners aren’t going to the right bathhouses and saunas.
Idiots, morons. Get serious, let people express whatever. If you are so bitter that you must attack comments, perhaps you should find what is bothering you and deal with it.
I went to my very first bathhouse over the weekend and loved it.Most guys’ did walk around with a towel but im like,nope not me,I walked around naked and felt so free.I didn’t get any action though but was more than ok to just experience it all.I will be back and maybe this time get some.There were a couple of different guy’s that got my attention.
I only ever go to bathhouses if I’d made arrangements to meet a date/an escort there since I can’t have people at my place and don’t want to go to their places (when that is an option), at least until we’ve met a couple of times at a bathhouse. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have bothered going there; I may be in a minority but I find that there’s a creepy feeling in the air at bathhouses which is not exactly conducive to having fun!
The Bathhouse has always been a great place to relax, re-charge but most of all to learn. Over my long gay life, there was a time I was not accepted or did not accept myself and the Bathhouse gave me an opportunity to learn about myself and what I do like or not. Many men live a life of lies, myself included. With the personalities I met, I could decide what person I wanted to be but more important what personality traits hurt and insulted my partners. I am a better person having been a long-term participant when and if I needed a visit to a Bathhouse. In my personal life but more important in my sex life.
I’ve only been to one bathhouse (which was the only one in town) and have done so regularly before the pandemic closed it for good. In my experience, if I go there looking for sex, 4 out of 5 I get nothing. So when I go there I go to enjoy the facilities… and so they come, and so I cum. You meet all sorts there, including the creepy ones who follow you everywhere. There are ways to get rid of them without being rude… talk about bowling, your life problems, or ask if they’ve already met Jesus in their life… they’d be avoiding you like the plague.
And if I see a buff person, I avoid them. They love being chased, and I ain’t doing it. 😉
I used to go all the time. And I mean 4 times a week. Guess how much fun I had? Over weight. Bald. Old. TONS. Because I was a top. Mushroomheaded cock and LOVE to eat ass! Most times I would walk in and 15 minutes later I was in a studs room rimming his ass. Haven’t been in years ( they pissed me off). Now I have a gloryhole at home and am very happy. Lol. Today 5 guys unloaded at my place. It’s free. And I love it. They get rimmed. And drained. And yeah. Those pics ver deceiving. But there are guys like that. Matter of fact I fucked a falcon porn star twice ! And only went 4 times to that bath house before I moved. Always went to another one that didn’t have the attitude And I did meet a lot of super nice guys. They love to talk to me. I listen. ..
hey where are all the photos and mentions of the old creepy asian guys who follow you around and can’t take no for an answer?
FYI – the unnamed “city that I lived in” is Vancouver.
Men go to a Bath House because they are looking for a fuck thay don’t have. The reason you do not see hot men with 6 pac and bulging muscles in because that have no problem finding it witout having to go to a Bath House.
If you go to a Bath House be happy with what you find, because he is too.
its demolished and closed down since mar 2021….Gone forever
As a closeted man, the bathhouse was the one place I can go that everyone just knows I’m gay, or I assume they know it. It’s comforting.
I hope there are plans to make a movie version of the book. I prefer seeing to reading this kind of content.