a filmmaker and playgirl 'man of the year' centerfold model who made waves when he came out as gay has died dirk shafer, 52, was found dead in his car in west hollywood on thursday after a possible heart attack, deadline reports he became a pioneering mouthpiece on the subject of gay lifestyle and the heated circuit club scene in the 1990s man of the year: dirk shafer, 52, was playgirl's 1992 man of the year before he came out as gay and spoke out about the pressures on men to appear straight he has been found dead in his car in west hollywood  a fixture of hollywood, and trainer to the stars, shafer rubbed shoulders with the likes of joan rivers  will & grace star eric mccormack paid tribute to his friend, gym buddy and one time co star shafer on twitter  among those to pay tribute was will & grace star eric mccormack, who trained with shafer he wrote: 'lost a good man today #dirkshafer dear pal and awesome trainer for 17 years sending love to his family and so many friends be at peace, d' satirizing the need to appear 'straight' in his modeling career, shafer directed, wrote and starred in the acclaimed mockumentary man of the year in 1995 later in life: shafer went on to make two acclaimed movies, dabbled in acting and physically trained stars  six years later, his movie about the gay club scene, circuit, was awarded best film at the coachella valley music and arts festival illinois born shafer later landed a role as blaze on the hit sitcom will & grace, before becoming a fitness trainer in hollywood his celebrity clients at swapoutworkout included katy perry,  richard dreyfuss, and tiffanni thiessen in 2012, shafer posed naked once more for playgirl to mark 20 years since his centerfold
playgirl's man of the year eric mccormack will & grace dirk shafer 52 thursday man of the year
dirk shafer, 52, was playgirl's man of the year then came out as gay  he made mockumentary man of the year about pressures on gay men  found dead in his car on thursday, gossip sites suggest heart attack  tributes on twitter include one from will & grace star eric mccormack 