Full-court press

Shirts and Skins, the newest reality TV offering from Logo, follows the San Francisco Rock Dogs on and off the court as they train to uphold their city’s three-generation legacy of tournament wins. But before the team can contemplate competing at the National Gay Basketball Championship in Chicago, they’ll have to execute unorthodox fund-raising schemes, scrimmage a humpy team of fire fighters, and find time to squeeze in a few practice free-throw shots in between sinking tequila shots.

With a nod to the granddaddy of all (ostensibly) unscripted television series, The Real World, the ballers are sequestered in a mega-million-dollar home complete with their own gym and a semi-transparent shower that overlooks the living room, which allows for glimpses of their sudsy post-workout sessions and encourages team bonding via compulsory exhibitionism. And with a player considering a stab at ex-gaydom and two cousins struggling to overcome their strained relationship, the Rock Dogs will need all the help they can get with giving their interpersonal issues a much-needed time-out.

Luckily for them, former NBA pro John Amaechi is on hand to help ensure everyone plays nice and to dispense some locker-room perspective on the greater implications of the team’s mere existence. “In some people’s minds, being gay is just walking down the street in pumps and drinking fruity drinks,” he says. “They don’t realize that you can do that and kick ass on the basketball court.”

-- NOAH MICHELSON

Shirts and Skins premieres tonight, September 15, on Logo.

Comments

[Chris Holden]

I thought it delightful. How could it not be so, with all those beautiful muscular bodies (especially the luscious Black guys) down to their shorts most of the time. I might have to start following basketball!