Gay dancer Travis Wall leads a cast of reality hotties in predictable ‘Moves’
SHOWBOYS | Wall, seated, assembles so many sexy boys for the latest in pandering reality shows, they should have called it ‘All the Right ’Mos.’ At least they take their shirts off a lot.
ARNOLD WAYNE JONES | Life+Style Editor
I’ve long since given up believing in the reality of reality TV. Whenever a character — and this happens every reality series — says, “I decided to raise money for this fundraiser,” you just know the truth is, “the producers pledged a certain budget/donation to put on a fake fundraiser on the condition I invited my enemies and caused a scene.”
So when Travis Wall, the gay So You Think You Can Dance contestant and budding dancepreneur, claims on the new reality show All the Right Moves to be “reaching into his own pocket” to pay for a backers’ show, what I assume he means is, “I will have to use part of my per diem as a prop to make this scene look authentic.” Ugh.
It would probably be unfair to say that this latest queer-skewing fakality series, which premieres on Oxygen, is any faker than the rest. The premise? Wall and his fellow SYTYCD alum (gay Season 1 winner Nick) and two straight buds — Kyle and Teddy — share an apartment (complete with stage lighting and ceiling mounted cameras!) while starting their own dance company in El Lay. Truth is, their enterprise is probably no riskier than what the ratings show it to be; if it gets renewed for a second season, I’m sure they will manage to survive and keep it together. So let’s not attack the show for that reason.
Then again, what else is there? It’s bitchy with artificial tensions arising just in time for commercial breaks; what else is new? Why do they keep making these shows? Why do people keep watching them?
Here’s one reason: This is one of the queerest peek-a-boo series out there right now, with two of the central figures gay against two straight. But it seems much gayer — in just the opening montage of the season premiere, there is more shirtless man-hugging than most Falcon videos manage in an hour. Even the straight guys are manscaped and guylinered while pirouetting their asses (and shirts) off. Why not be flirty and lightweight? It’s not like you’re interfering with someone’s artistic vision.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 27, 2012.