If you watched I Love Money on VH1 when it aired, you will recognize Sharay Hayes as the Punisher from Season 4 of the hit reality series. He finished fourth overall, but the New York-based adult entertainer is doing more than fine for himself. Sharay is far from your average reality star. If you do any amount of research on him, you’ll quickly discover that the Punisher is anything but a one-trick pony!
About Sharay’s Path to Stripping Stardom
The adult entertainer started out in the most unlikely of career paths: as an assistant kindergarten teacher. But he quit his job at just 22 years old to make the dramatic shift to stripping. His motivation? You may be surprised to know it had nothing to do with money. Sharay actually wanted to make his ex-girlfriend jealous in the hopes of winning her back.
While he was unable to achieve this specific goal, the career switch wasn’t in vain. Not only did Sharay discover that he enjoyed stripping, but he also realized he was good at it. The decision has clearly paid off since he’s become one of the most well-known male strippers in the United States and garnered international recognition. He’s even been dubbed the real-life version of Channing Tatum’s iconic character Magic Mike.
How Sharay’s Mindset Has Helped Him Follow His Dreams
While it might be easy to write off Sharay’s success as a product of his good looks and physique, Sharay is quick to credit his mindset for his success. Most important in his opinion? Boldness. No risk means no reward. He is constantly on the hunt for new opportunities, no matter how far out of reach they may seem in the moment.
Sharay thinks this mindset is far from anything special. He’s the first to encourage anyone to chase their dreams, just like he has. If he can go from being a quiet kid in Harlem to an internationally-recognized entertainer, he truly believes anything is possible!
More Than an Adult Entertainer
Sharay is a man of many talents. His entrepreneurial attitude has led him to a variety of pursuits. With over 238,000 followers on Instagram and counting, his social media presence is a force to be reckoned with. He’s even a real estate entrepreneur. Sharay credits his ambition for helping him get far in so many fields.
His experience in the entertainment industry isn’t limited to being a talented exotic dancer. Sharay Hayes has also appeared on the ground-breaking show Pose. Whether you saw him compete on VH1, you’ve watched him dance in a club, or you watched his appearance on Pose, one thing is abundantly clear: the Punisher has a natural stage presence!
Since Sharay is now 47, you may think his days as a stripper are winding down. But the Punisher’s determination (and his popularity) certainly don’t seem to be. Boasting just 7% body fat, he’s far from the ordinary man of his age. In addition, with his many interests and bold attitude, Sharay certainly isn’t worried about his future holding anything but success for him.
For more information about Sharay Hayes, follow him on Instagram @getpunished