Kevin Stea Ruled the Gap Go-Go Commercial

I will always remember seeing the Gap Khaki Go-Go commercial in the late ‘90s.   Usually when watching dancers, I only notice the females.  Not just because I think women are beautiful and more visually appealing than men, but I also think women are better and more interesting dancers. 

When I saw the Gap Go-Go commercial, I loved it immediately for two reasons.  One, the music.  It was the first time I’d ever heard James Clarke’s “Blow Up a Go-Go (Wild Elephants)” and I was in love with that music.  I could not get enough.

But even more, the man in the center was amazing.  My eyes drew to him and did not see anyone else.  He was such a captivating dancer, with such charisma. And the way he looked at the camera in the beginning was so powerful that I could not look away from him.  When he briefly disappeared offscreen, I hoped he would reappear soon. I was so surprised that a man could take over my attention that I, a lesbian, did not even see any of the women. 

I couldn’t understand how this dancer affected me so much.  I was not attracted to him (for me, attraction means I want to kiss the person, etc.), and I didn’t want to kiss him or anything.  I wondered if he was gay, though I hated to stereotype him as gay just because he was a dancer.  But my lack of sexual attraction for him did not negate from the electricity I felt when he danced.  I wanted to continue to watch him dance.   And only him.

Fourteen years later, and someone recently happened to mention old commercials and music from the ‘90s. I thought of the Gap Go-Go commercial.  Finding it on youtube, I saw that the man in the center still affected me in the same way.  Through the wonders of the Internet, I was able to find out his name, Kevin Stea.  Since I love giving compliments (though I cannot give false compliments), I sent him the following email:

hi kevin, 

i just feel i should tell you that over a decade ago when the gap go-go commercial came out, i was transfixed by your performance.  normally i only notice women in dance groups, for i'm lesbian.  but when that commercial came out, you had such charisma, not to mention the most captivating dance performance, that i only noticed you in the whole group. i was often amazed throughout the years that there was a male dancer that could draw me away from all the females, not in an attraction-based way, but due to the power and charisma that this man had.  

recently someone was talking about the gap commercials from the 90's and i remembered the gap go-go commercial, and looked it up on youtube. again, i was loving your performance and, again, i only saw you!  so i wanted to know you are! 

i even asked a question on yahoo answers to find out and saw that someone had already asked this question in 2007:

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Lead male dancer from Gap "Khaki-a-Go-Go" commercial?

What is the name of the lead male dancer in the "Khaki-a-Go-Go" Gap commercial from 1998? He's the guy in the black t-shirt with dark, curly hair who is the star at the beginning of the commercial and fades into the chorus of dancers. I think he was also in the Gap vests commercial from around the same time.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Kevin Stea?

•    6 years ago

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Asker's Comment:

Thanks. I found some Kevin Stea fansites and now I'm pretty sure he's the right guy.

Other Answers

Don't know, but he was HOT!

•    6 years ago

•    > 

Then, when i went back to the youtube clip, i saw in the comments section that others noticed you particularly as well: 

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Agreed re: the man in the center. Normally the women in any dance group hold my attention but in this ad, the man in the center has so much charisma and dance power that he is the only one I notice.

‪polly olga yobek ‪‪1 day ago

i love the man in the center

‪shogokawahara ‪‪2 years ago ‪3 

What is the name of the dancer in the center at the beginning with the curly hair? He's really good!!

‪bellier ‪‪3 years ago ‪2  

He really is, and cute too! :P

‪ekomancer ‪in reply to ‪bellier ‪3 years ago

‪‪Kevin Stae. He's toured with Madonna, walked runway for CK, Tommy, Coultier, and was in "Naked Boys Singing" if you want to see...ahem...More of him :-P

‪‪‪ruggeddusty‪‪ ‪in reply to ‪bellier ‪3 years ago

Oh god... this is already 10 years old?!?!?

I'm feeling my age.

Gotta love the Fosse-esque choreography and wow Kevin Stea?!?! sweet

‪Earthmage ‪‪4 years ago ‪5

who is Kevin Stea? is he the guy in the first part...looks Asian?

‪maryquant1967 ‪in reply to ‪Earthmage (Show the comment) ‪3 years ago

Yep! That's the one.

‪Earthmage ‪in reply to ‪maryquant1967 ‪3 years ago

he's ssssssssssssmokin'

‪maryquant1967 ‪in reply to ‪Earthmage ‪3 years ago

if youre talking about the guy in the middle its kevin stea-he was in newsies! LOVE him. hes in a show called naked boys singing right now.... :)

‪FallKABOOM ‪in reply to ‪Ratdog93 (Show the comment) ‪4 years ago

Kevin Stea is asian.. the cute boy in the middle isn't..

‪Ratdog93 ‪in reply to ‪FallKABOOM (Show the comment) ‪4 years ago

well the one in the middle is definitely kevin stea...it's for sure.

‪momoprincessxo ‪in reply to ‪Ratdog93 (Show the comment) ‪4 years ago

does anyone know the name of the cute main male dancer??

‪Ratdog93 ‪‪4 years ago

if you're refering to the one with the big hair in the middle he was one of madonna's dancers. he was in her Truth or Dare movie. he was also a dancer in the movie Showgirls but had just a few lines in it. but i don't know his name. he's a great dancer though. total flamer but hey....

‪nobhiller ‪in reply to ‪Ratdog93 ‪4 years ago

I absolutely love Kevin Stea! He's such a talented guy!

‪wannabesurfahgirl ‪‪6 years ago

Funny thing is that Kevin is also in the Austin Powers movie doing about the same dance moves during the opening credits...

‪choitoy57 ‪in reply to ‪wannabesurfahgirl ‪5 years ago

I've always got my eyes locked on that male dancer in the center. Man, he is cuuute!

‪mikey42 ‪‪5 years ago

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So I just wanted to share this with you to let you know that your appearance in that Gap commercial stayed with me all these many years, and obviously with others too!  I think it's pretty amazing that one person in one commercial can have such a lasting impact for so many people, so i just want to let you know.  

Now I've read of some of the other work that you are doing and i'm even more impressed with how extremely talented you are.  i wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and thank you for being the wonderful dancer that you are!

I am still amazed that a male dancer had such an effect on me that I never forgot it.  

Travolta Gay Rumors, Scotty Bowers Book Re: Secret Sex Lives of the Stars and Book Describing Marilyn's Lesbian Affairs

Regarding accusations that John Travolta sexually harassed male masseurs - that is one thing. No one should take advantage of his/her power or influence and harass anyone else, sexually or otherwise.

But all the talk about these accusations proving that Travolta is gay reminds me of the recent book by Scotty Bowers, “Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars” (see NY Times review here and laweekly.com review here). Some of the stars named in the book were predominately “straight” but had same-sex affairs. Bowers himself, who had flings with many of the male stars, married a woman.

Now, is it really so unusual for someone who identifies as “straight” to be attracted to the same sex? Years ago I briefly dated “Lisa,” who worked in the film industry. She told me that literally all the girls on set, basically straight girls, flirted with her and tried to get with her.

I asked Lisa why in the film industry there seems to be so much same-sex action, even among primarily straight people. I mentioned that I never heard of any same-sex flirtation at my job, or in other industries where my other friends worked. Lisa said that, for many people, the entertainment industry represents a fantasy where people can do what they want. They’re not limited to being gay or straight – they can be with whomever they want to be with.

Now, “Full Service” is certainly not the first book or article to say that many stars of yesteryear had same-sex affairs, nor will it be the last. For instance, my major celebrity crush as a teenager, Marilyn Monroe, had at least two lesbian encounters, one with her drama coach and one with Joan Crawford, according to the recently released transcript of tapes she gave her psychologist shortly before her death.

Though to be sure, many books are written expressly to cause controversy and thus gain sales. For instance, celebrity journalist Darwin Porter’s new book, “Marilyn at Rainbow’s End,” claims that Monroe had lesbian flings with Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Stanwyck, the aforementioned Joan Crawford, and the simply luscious Elizabeth Taylor. “The Globe” tabloid writes regarding the rumors in this book: “But in her diary, Liz wrote about a sexual encounter with Marilyn after a June 1961 Frank Sinatra party. ‘Her touch was electric,’ Taylor said. ‘I wanted to see how far the b**** would go. But she had to do all the work.’”

Granted, a “celebrity journalist” and a tabloid are sparking these rumors. Who knows if the stories are really true? I have not read Porter’s book, and cannot verify any of the author’s claims. (But I hope the Elizabeth Taylor rumor is true, as she will always be the celebrity I am most in love with, the most beautiful woman who has ever lived!)

And regarding the Marilyn transcripts, who knows how accurate the transcription is? Though I have to say I don’t see any reason for the tapes to have been transcribed incorrectly. Regardless, I don’t find it outlandish at all that Monroe, who starred in my first sexual dream, could have had many lesbian encounters, and in fact I find it quite believable.

I have not read Bowers’ book either, but from the reviews and interviews with Bowers that I have read, I don’t think the book is a fraud or just a sales ploy. Bowers seems very candid, decent, and genuine in interviews. Besides, I think it perfectly reasonable that celebrities in the past had same-sex affairs. And if stars in the past had same-sex affairs, why not today’s stars?

Further, why would celebrities be any different from everyday, ordinary people? Aren’t we all human? Aren’t we all sexual beings? Don’t straight girls talk about girl crushes and straight men talk about man crushes? What if a straight girl acted on her girl crush? Would that automatically make her a lesbian?

No. Somehow we need to get past the binary world of gay/straight. On Kinsey’s scale, most people, although they may be closer to one end or the other, do not fall completely on one side. I am convinced that most people are some level of bisexual. Freud introduced the concept of innate bisexuality in all humans, and I agree with that. The potential is there for everyone, but individual experiences and behaviors can strengthen certain feelings and lessen other feelings. And not everyone is born with the same degree of bisexuality, let alone acts on such feelings.

To that end, sexuality is even more precisely described as a spectrum, as I first discovered in a post by Shashauna P. Thomas, to which I eagerly responded. Sexuality on a spectrum allows for greater fluidity. And as such, I don’t think John Travolta is completely gay or completely straight. He probably enjoys sex with men but I think he really loves his wife as well. His sexuality, like everyone’s, falls on a spectrum. In fact, I think very few people are completely homosexual. (Though I used to think I was. Until I met Robert Hannibal.)

For me, the larger issues with Travolta concern sexual harassment and adultery. If he did sexually harass others, that is wrong. If the Travolta-Preston marriage is a monogamous one, and these accusations of affairs are true, then he did cheat, and that is wrong.

But if he and his wife are in an open marriage and have a polyamorous relationship and understanding, then he did not cheat. Yet, notwithstanding the openness of the marriage, any harassment is wrong.

Regardless, I am tired of people assuming that because someone has had same-sex affairs it must mean the person is gay. No, it just means the person is a human, a sexual being. Aren’t we all?