Hunky, hot and sweet

Except for the doughnuts, Ricky Martin keeps healthy

TORONTO -- It is the calm before the Ricky Martin-induced storm.

Just hours before the 27-year-old Latin pop sensation greeted thousands last night at Yonge Street's Sunrise Records, he's 'chilling' in a Toronto hotel suite.

There're the usual amenities -- fresh, fragrant flowers, Evian, soda pop and glazed doughnuts.

What a minute? Glazed doughnuts?

"I'm a doughnut freak," confessed the Puerto Rican native without a trace of guilt. "I love them -- what can I do?"

No fruit plate -- usually an interview suite staple -- for this guy.

"Oh, no. Forget it," says the affable Martin, dressed stylishly simple in a white T-shirt, grey dress shirt, black pants and shoes. "I love chocolate and cheap chocolate. Sometimes you need the sugar to keep going on."

Especially if you're Ricky Martin. Ever since his hip-swivelling performance of the World Cup '98 song, La Copa de la Vida (The Cup Of Life) at the Grammy Awards in February, it seems everyone has wanted a piece of him. Make that everyone in North America.

After stints in the Latin boy band Menudo, and roles in the TV soap General Hospital and the Broadway production of Les Miserables, Martin became a pop superstar in the Spanish-speaking world with sales of 15 million worldwide.

"I'm not going to give all the credit to the Grammys but it definitely accelerated the whole process," said Martin.

Now his fast-selling English-language debut album, which includes a much-hyped duet with Madonna on Be Careful (Cuidad Con Mi Corazon), has flown out of stores. It's sold 500,000 copies in Canada and 6.8 million copies worldwide since its May 11 release. And Martin is being touted as the leader of a Latin pop explosion that includes an equally successful crossover album by Jennifer Lopez.

"I think it's very stupid," said Martin of the numerous trend pieces. "I mean we're forgetting what Santana did for many years and Julio Iglesias. And Jose Feliciano and Santana were performing at Woodstock, you know what I'm saying? And look at Gloria Estefan."

Still, it seems Martin really is Livin' La Vida Loca (Living The Crazy Life), the title of the hit single from his album.

He just finished shooting the video for his next single, She's All I Ever Had. After his half-hour appearance on MuchMusic today at 4 p.m. he will return to his Miami home for just four days. Then it's off to Europe before returning to North America to start work on a tour that is expected to start in October. Oh, yeah, there's also his next album, which he hopes to be recording next summer.

This isn't to say that Martin, who arrived in T.O. on Thursday night and was able to squeeze in yoga, a movie and a massage, isn't able to find quiet moments.

"I scream for them if I have to --- it's my medicine," said Martin. "It's very important for me to have 20-40 minutes a day so I can look for silence and turn off the television and close the book that I'm reading and just be with myself and meditate.

"I went to India last year and I learned yoga and I'm so glad I have that tool -- that I can escape whenever I feel too euphoric and I'm not in control of who I am. So I'm happy and satisfied at the moment. I am enjoying it. I'm travelling. I'm having the opportunity to meet amazing people."

Like Madonna, who Martin actually met in Miami a few years ago at a birthday party, despite their myth-making backstage meeting at the Grammys.

"She's very tough but I learned so much from her," said Martin. "Knowing that Madonna is Madonna and she's seen so many things when it comes to music, and she's done so many things when it comes to music, yet she's still open to new ideas and she's still starving to learn -- it's fascinating!"

The downside to fame has been the rampant tabloid coverage Martin has received, with speculation about everything from his sexuality -- perhaps due to his huge gay following -- to his on-again, off-again relationship with Mexican TV personality Rebecca de Alba.

"There are things that I want to keep for myself, to be one step ahead of everybody," said Martin. "And those things that I don't talk about, that's where they go to. My intimacy and everything. Once again, we go back to fantasy. Think whatever you want to think! I'm up for it! Go for it!"

In fact, Martin -- who will appear on the July 6 cover of The Advocate -- said he would have been willing to participate in tomorrow's Gay Pride Parade if his schedule had allowed.

"I don't have a problem but instead I have to go to Miami," he said. "What's the difference between you, me, gay, lesbian? I hate these walls and these boundaries, I think they're so stupid, and judging things and life is so short. Be happy, be who you are, and love."