Why McConaughey goes topless

Matthew McConaughey keeps losing his shirt, says Michael Fleming in Playboy. Whether jogging, shopping, or just hanging out, the 38-year-old actor is frequently shirtless—and often, amazingly enough, photographers are nearby to capture all of his buff glory. “I am aware that when I run past the paparazzi it becomes like the Discovery Channel,” he says. “‘They’ve caught the mammal McConaughey running without his shirt again!’” To those who assume McConaughey keeps doffing his top solely for publicity purposes, he offers another explanation. “I grew up in the country and didn’t wear shirts or shoes. My mom didn’t even put a bathing suit on us at the country club until we were 9,” he says. “To me, it’s about chasing summer. I surf. I run. Exercise is a form of meditation.” Shirts, he explains, interfere with his ability to get in touch with himself. “Exercise makes me very conscious of my anatomy. It hit me years ago: If this is going to be a part of my life, I’m not going to cocoon up. Shirt off, man? Yeah!” Not long ago, Matt Damon impersonated McConaughey on the David Letterman show, depicting him plotting to turn every situation into an opportunity to take his shirt off. “I laughed. I sent him some of my T-shirts. I said, ‘Here, man, I’m not wearing them. Maybe you can use them.’”

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