Last week I presented you with the following challenge: identify the wearer of the underwear below (as a hint, I offered that the model was a “famous writer”) and write a fitting caption for the scene depicted.

There was great enthusiasm for identity guessing. The range of possibilities included many heavy-hitters from the literary set:

Some long-dead greats:
Plutarch
Truman Capote
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
(Too short to be) Longfellow!
Ernest Hemingway
Alexander Pope
Jack Kerouac
Malcolm Lowrey
James Dickey

A few contemporary masters:
Salman Rushdie
John Green, looking for elastic. (he wrote a book called Looking for Alaska)
Adam Goodheart
Edward McPherson

One bona-fide rock star:
Meat loaf

One baker:
Must be Mr. Stun Buns himself

And a couple of washed-up wannabes (with admittedly well-shaped buttocks):
Danielle Steele
Matthew Swanson

I am sorry to say that not a single one of you correctly identified the owner of those well-loved orange boxer shorts. I’ll reveal his true identity in a moment. As for the captions, here were the finalists:

Ripped from the headlines?
Feeling a little cheeky…
U–rip-a-these?
Hem-in’way?
Ernie Hemingfray

I’m not sure why a Hemingway theme emerged in these responses. Something tells me that Hemingway’s buttocks would be larger and much more hairy. But no one asked my opinion on the matter.

As for the winner, I’m partial to “U-rip-a-these,” a play on Euripedes (an undeniably famous writer). Something about the thought of an ancient Greek playwrite ambling around in silk boxer shorts tickles my funny bone. And so, for his troubles, Mr. Robert Ortiz is the proud winner of my root-beer flavored Yankee Candle lip balm.

Bob, I’ll bring it by in person. If any of the rest of you is a fan of fine, contemporary furniture in the Shaker and Japanese traditions, I highly recommend checking out Bob’s site. Or stop by his studio the next time you’re in Chestertown. It’s about two blocks from the barn.

As I said earlier, no one correctly identified the writer in question, and so The Sensational Pansy Saddle will dwell in the barn for yet another day.

I’m sure you’re all kicking yourself as I tell you that our underwear model is none other than Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of the critically acclaimed Lincoln’s Melancholy, the writer of the most read article in the history of TheAtlantic.com, and the relentless, probing mind behind the four-part Slate.com series on Robbi’s and my creative collaboration.

Here he is.

And here he is again (one of my favorite photos, taken at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge a few summers back).

Josh gave us his blessing to post the photo, saying that “My ass needs some exposure.” And whose ass doesn’t? The plight of many a famous writer: always a need for greater doses of the same.

And so, I offer this prime venue for any of you dozens and hundreds of famous writers who read this blog. Send us a photo of you in your skivvies and we’ll keep this contest going.

That Pansy Saddle needs to find another home somehow.