HE has a rare condition that makes him the world's
hairiest man — but at least it keeps the wolf from the door.
After being gawped at all his life and starring in a circus
freak show, Larry Gomez is making his fortune in Hollywood.
He has appeared in a hit movie and a pilot for his own TV
reality show.
And The Wolfman, as he is known to pals and fans, is enjoying
fame — bedding dozens of women desperate to run their fingers
through his fur.
Larry, 35 — whose whole body and face is covered in thick black
hair — said last night: "When women first see it they don't believe
it.
"Then all they want to do is just touch it. How many girlfriends
have I had? At least 35. Women expect me to be more of a man,
stronger, because of the hair. I do all right with the ladies. I've
even had a few stalkers."
Larry, 35, suffers from the extremely rare genetic condition
hypertrichosis, or Werewolf Syndrome. Only 50 people since the
Middle Ages are known to have suffered from it to such an extent —
15 of those are in his family.
He explained: "Every two weeks I trim my face with clippers. It
grows all over my face, even on the eyelids. I have more on my arms
than my legs.
"My brother and sister both have the condition. And some of my
cousins. It's harder for my sister Jamie Maria. She's only 20. You
have to be very strong to look like this.
"There's a guy in China — but he's not as hairy as me. He
challenged me to a 'hair off'. He doesn't stand a chance!"
But Larry hasn't always been so confident. He added: "As a child
it was very upsetting being called Wolfboy.
"But now I love it. I realised this was how I could make
something of myself."
Larry was born Gabriel Ramos Gomez in Mexico but took his new
name from a 1941 horror film The Wolf Man, in which the main
hair-covered character was called Larry Talbot. As a youngster he
and his brother Danny, 33, joined the circus and were known as the
Wolfboys. Larry married and had a son Michael, now ten, who does
not have the condition.
But in 2007 he split from wife Nadine and moved to LA to seek
fame in films.
He featured in the hit movie Water for Elephants alongside Reese
Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson last year. And he has filmed a
pilot for a reality show called Wolfboy: Divorced and Looking For
Love.
Larry grinned and said: "I get lots of strange looks walking
down the street. But I am happy with how I look.
"Besides a lot of people like it — especially the
ladies!"
