OK, I will obviously regret my own curiosity here, but what the hell: do they all actually wax their chests?

At least Il Duce was doing something useful, draining the Pontine marshes, rather than just wanking about!

You've seen this, right?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/shirtless-obama-on-cover_n_189283.html

What a girl!

The Daily Mash offered Mr Putin some kindly reassurance. (Not work safe.)

Alisa: no, they shave 'em. Waxing hurts.

Of course it hurts, that's the whole point: it is manly! BTW, that link: ouch.

Am I the only one who thinks Vlad looks a tad flabby? Even Obambi looks more toned.

Well let's hope to hell Il Gordo doesn't follow suit...

I'm thinking here of the film Calender Girls.

The Labour Party finances are apparently a shambles. They might decide to sell a 2010 calender. If it's May it must be Alan Johnson with a shit-eating grin and his generative organs hidden behind a strategically placed bowl of petunias.

Actually, if you look at the position of Vlad's er... rod - then I think the Daily Mash are on to something...

Thanks Natalie.

Waxing and shaving both have the feature that they actually work. I have never in all my born days found anyone who found that Veet (what did they used to call it?) worked. Why does it keep on selling. It is a profound mystery. Any thoughts would be most welcome.

PS. Glad to see Perry posting more. You've been missed. I hope though that whilst back more in the saddle you've managed to keep your shirt on.

I am sure Bad Vlad must be aware of the obvious comparisons to Mussolini's shirtless escapades. The fact that he keep on posing like this shows he really does not care. He's a fascist, and he doesn't mind who knows it.

Well spotted Alisa - I had not spotted this.

I am a middle aged man (like all these dicators and would be dictators) and I have hair (although not on the top of my head), as, I am told, do all middle aged men.

So either these dictators are a different species or they must remove their body hair - out of some strange fetish.

Well Paul, you hadn't spotted it, because you are not as prone as me to examining men's chests:-)

Belly, back, arms - these middle aged men do not seem to have hair anywhere.

Is the idea to show that they are so macho that they can stand to have their tummy hair pulled out?

I presume these manly pictures of this resolute defender of the people are meant to inspire something. But are there really people in Russia who say, wow... look at that, look at those? I too could be like that if I cast my vote well.

But then maybe these awed people get similarly excited by rusting Soviet hardware and fond memories of Stalin's granny.

Oh, the bot...let's see:

Yes, that was the point I made in reply to Nataly's reply to me. But seriously, I have no idea. It is weird, though, although maybe not in Big O's case: he may actually have naturally hairless body (due to his A.....n genes), and he is the metrosexual, not the macho type.