The Tribune

WHEN Steve Carrel awkwardly dealt with his virginity woes in the 2005 film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, it was a comedy at its finest as friends tried to pressure his character Andy to ‘give it up’.

Ultimately, the film ended with Andy’s deflowering, but only after his character got married to the woman of his affections.

Sure the hair waxing scene in the movie was classic comedy, but the main joke for movie goers was the fact that an adult male chose, for whatever reason, to remain a virgin beyond his teens and 20s.

Most find it abnormal if someone confesses to have not engaged in sexual activity by the time they are 30, yet at 38-years-old, Haitian-Bahamian musician Mr J has no problem being a (nearly) 40-year-old virgin.

In fact, he’s known locally as the singer with the abstinence ‘til marriage agenda.

“People straight up assume that I’m lying,” says the singer, born Gesner Dalmon. “Bottom line, I am a virgin because of my faith.

“When I was 14, I made a promise to God that I would remain pure until I consummated my marriage. Don’t believe for one minute that it is easy because when you combine women who catch your attention with friends constantly joking and pressuring you, you can fall in.

“One thing I’ve learned about guys, especially teenagers, is those who talk about getting it most are the ones who get it least or have yet to get it at all. I try to live my life as close as possible to the examples given in the Bible and the principles of God is why I am abstinent.”

Mr J’s I’m A Virgin Valentine’s Day release date is no coincidence and the single recorded with Sagini Inc (Bahamas) is available on CDBaby.

The music video was by Sagini Records while the single itself was recorded by Christin ‘Spirit’ Taylor, with Bahamian gospel reggae queen and producer Kelda ‘Timeless’ Sweeting lending background vocals.

The video itself follows Mr J being pressured to up the ante in his fictional relationship by his girlfriend, even though it cuts away to him hoping to save himself until marriage.

The artist, who is known locally on the reggae circuit, is also a motivational speaker who plans to take his campaign of abstinence into schools, churches and on television. He further revealed that he is working on a book dealing with the subject.

Living in today’s society where television, the internet, radio and advertising showcases some form of sex with scantily clad models, open innuendo and sex products now common in store windows as opposed to being kept on top shelves, surprisingly, Mr J’s song about virginity has been met with a few reservations.

“There is a gospel radio station in the Bahamas that hasn’t played it,” he said. “There were a lot of excuses as to why they didn’t play it and none of it was related to technical or engineering aspects of the song. I would have assumed that they would have found a song promoting abstinence okay but they claimed it sounded too much like Madonna’s Like A Virgin which is completely untrue for the lyrics, harmony and genre. I just think the song’s subject is a tough sell.”

Another tough sell is wondering if this self-professed virgin plans to marry another virgin, especially when it seems as if there aren’t very many past their mid-20s.

“That’s something I have gone to God with,” said Mr J. “I have had encounters where women have been willing to wait, women have wondered if I was gay because I didn’t get down and dirty with them and where women were just plain fast and forward.

“I’ve prayed about the kind of woman I want to be my wife and when that time comes it will come but I will not judge her if she was sexually active before she met me. That would have been her choice. My choice is something that I have to deal with and have to answer to God with on my own.”

Mr J’s I’m A Virgin can be viewed on his Youtube channel www.youtube.com/user/mrjreggae1.