In his new memoir, Love Life, ageless hunk Rob Lowe muses on his first gay kiss—a smooch with Evan Handler on Showtime's Californication.

He elaborated in an excerpt posted on Salon:

I kissed a man recently, and with romantic intent. I liked and admired him very much, and professionally he is as good as anyone in his field, but truth be told he isn’t conventionally attractive. In fact, he is not tall, lacks any hair whatsoever and is a bit older than anyone I would likely be interested in kissing, regardless of gender.

But I did it anyway, and not without the apprehension you would expect from someone completely new to that sort of thing.

The scene in question was in Californication's fourth season, when Lowe debuted as Oscar-winning actor Eddie Nero, a thinly veiled Brad Pitt type. Nero is a douchy Hollywood star who's idea of going Method is performing oral sex on a guy so he can understand what it's like to play a gay hit man.

Later, for no discernible reason, Nero kisses Handler's character, schlumpy agent Charlie.

"I believe it's the most romantic kiss I've ever done," Lowe joked of the smooch. "In the name of comedy, you have to be willing to do anything. You have to be willing to look like an idiot." The fact that neither he nor Handler's character were gay makes this kiss "provocative," says Lowe.

He'll return to the role of Eddie Nero when Californication returns for its seventh and final season on April 13.

Below, Nero recounts taking a man in his mouth, on Californication.

Lowe on Eddie Nero