SHERRI SAUM: How do you feel about your girlfriend doing love scenes with another actor? And what about when you have to do a love scene with another actress?

TIMOTHY ADAMS: I'm very fortunate to be in a relationship with a woman who is so open-minded. Hopefully, I'm the same way. We're professionals. This is what we do for a living. If there is any jealousy or insecurity involved, it's just some inadequacy -- but I don't feel that either one of us has that in this relationship. So it's not really a major issue as some people may think it might be. My philosophy is, what I don't see, doesn't hurt me.

S.S.: But do you watch Sherri's love scenes when those episodes air?

T.A.: No. That's my philosophy. Bottom line. If I don't see it, I don't know what happens.

S.S.: But what about the fact that Sherri does those love scenes with Jason (George, who plays Michael), a very good friend of yours?

T.A.: Jason and I are good friends, exactly. If he wasn't a consummate pro, we probably wouldn't be such good friends. I respect him as an actor and a professional, and my girlfriend as well. (Grins) There's no point in discussing it any further. I'm pretty professional about it. The only way you can be. Are you at all inhibited because it is Jason you're doing love scenes with? Do you ever think about that?

S.S.: I guess in the beginning. This is my first soap. I thought, "Oh, this is going to be exciting, kissing somebody." Honestly, after three months, it became completely technical. I don't even think about it. Jason is like my brother. The only thing I'll think of is, "I hope he took an Altoid and we can get this done and move on."

T.A.: Do you think about what you look like when you're doing an intimate scene?

S.S.: I didn't think it would be an issue, but I don't feel very comfortable thinking about my family watching me doing scenes like that. People in general, too, I don't want them to know my little private behind-closed-doors self. But this is what my job is. You have to reconcile all that and move on.

T.A.: Do you think Sherri's sexual behavior and Vanessa's sexual behavior are totally different?

S.S.: Day and night. Do you think you could be in a storyline with Sherri on the show?

T.A.: Of course. She's a fabulous actress. To be romantically involved with her on the show would be a dream come true.

S.S.: But what about the love scene?

T.A.: It would be a piece of cake.

S.S.: I don't know what would happen after the cameras stopped rolling. I wonder if the show wonders the same thing, and that's why we're in separate storylines.

T.A.: Like you said, you portray making love on-screen in front of millions of people and that it's basically a technical thing. But are there places, as an actress, where you think you would fear to go?

S.S.: Definitely.

T.A.: Give me one example.

S.S.: I've seen movies recently with actresses who I consider my peers appearing topless in scenes. It was completely gratuitous nudity. I wouldn't go for that.

T.A.: Do you think it's a fear you might want to overcome, or just part of human nature to be modest?

S.S.: I don't know. If I were in a situation involving a prestigious production, things might change.

T.A.: So you might flash your breasts for the right project, is that what you're saying? (Grins) I don't know if I like this interview.

S.S.: No! You know me. What about you? You are just so fine. Everybody knows that. On the soap, they want to see you as naked as the network will allow.

T.A.: From my first audition (for Sunset), I knew doing scenes with minimal clothing was going to be part of the job. I was fine with that, because I'm comfortable with my body. But I find the representation of full male nudity a little difficult to deal with. I don't know if it's totally necessary.

S.S.: But I hear you have an incredibly cute butt. (Adams laughs.) I really don't think it would be fair to deny the public that opportunity to see it.

T.A.: Let's just say, I don't think that I could ever commit to doing a piece of work that features frontal nudity. To flash my butt, maybe. To be honest with you, my girlfriend is quite fond of my butt. So I want to keep it under wraps just for her, if that's fair.

S.S.: That's very sweet. I'll bet she appreciates that. But supposing (Italian director Bernardo) Bertolucci asked you to be in this unbelievably beautiful, artistic film and he wanted you full-on nude for a split second? Don't you think it's fair if a girl is going to show all of her goods, a guy should as well?

T.A.: I'd have to work it out in my head at the time. It's a tough call. It's one of those things that many people try to work out their whole lives -- their nudity, their sexuality. I don't know how I'd want full frontal nudity involving me portrayed, if I would want it portrayed at all. I'd just like to keep that private for my girlfriend, too.

S.S.: I think that's a good idea.

T.A.: So, talking about all this uninhibited nudity and sexuality and depicting that part of the human experience, how do you feel about the media -- and the public -- zoning in on your private life? Is there a fine line?

S.S.: That's a double-edged sword for me. Personally, with my situation, I'm so happy and proud of the relationship that I want the world to see it. But after doing a couple of interviews and photo shoots, I also feel a little violated, like, maybe there was something about me that no one should know. It's weird. I want them to know and I don't. What about you?

T.A.: I think my girlfriend and I have made good judgement calls on how we allow ourselves to come across through the media. We're in pretty good control of it. Of course, there's a side of me that likes to remain extremely private. I need total isolation sometimes. I'm a very outgoing person, but I also love spending time alone with my girlfriend. That's just good therapy for me. Did you and Tim give a lot of thought to revealing to the public that you are dating?

S.S.: We had a hidden relationship for a few months. Some people out there still have their taboos.

T.A.: When we were ready to talk, we wanted to be firm in the fact that we were together.

S.S.: We allowed it to come out when we decided the time was right. The first time was at a charity event in New Jersey. People took photos. It was out there.

T.A.: We posed together.

S.S.: We were slow dancing.

T.A.: We're very affectionate in our lives, whether we're sitting together in a movie theater or doing a P.A. in front of a lot of people. We act the same way wherever we are. So, we were quite affectionate at that event. People were curious as to the destination of our relationship. So we decided that if we were serious about each other, we wanted to be serious about what we were telling people, too.

S.S.: Do you have any perception of how people view your dating?

T.A.: I have no idea, and I don't care. I'm just very happy to know that she loves me and for her to know that I love her.

S.S.: Everything I've heard -- from fan mail to comments in person -- has all been positive. I've never heard anything bad. I don't think I would care one way or the other. All I know is, I'm the happiest person alive. It's all good to me, so they can say whatever they want -- if they want to say something. Have you ever experienced any hostility?

T.A.: No negativity. It's plain to see we're in an inter-racial relationship. But to us, it's not an issue. We love each other. That's the bottom line.