a half naked torso fills your television screen. It begins to gyrate and move in an oh so seductive way. Suddenly, water begins to cascade down the taut flesh, all while the smooth chest writhes in ectasy. Hands paw at the skin, pulling what's left of the wet shirt off. The camera pulls back and we see the face of a youthful man, his head bent back in erotic joy, mouth agape.

What the hell are we watching? The latest big budget Falcon film? No, it's the "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" music video for the Backstreet Boys--the latest teen driven boy band to hit the charts.

Yes, folks, boy band marketing has risen to a whole new level. No longer are record labels content with promoting their latest teen group simply by using catchy hooks and good looking youths. It's bump and grind that sells baby.

It was only a scant nine years ago that the modern day boy band was born with the New Kids On The Block (Joe McIntyre, right). The group hit the scene in 1989, setting young girls (and boys) collective hearts a flutter. If you remember correctly, the guys certainly weren't 100% tame and innocent in their stage show or videos, but they were nothing like the body-rocking Backstreet Boys (or BSB for short). And it's not only BSB that are taking the youth of America by storm. In the early '90s, the five man group Take That (member Jason Orange on stage at left) was all the rage in England, but once they were imported to the U.S., the group split up. Figures. Groups like 'N Sync (member Justin Timberlake pictured at top of page) and Five are hot on their heels. Not to mention hip hop solo artist Usher (think a '90s version of Bobby Brown).

Now you are probably asking yourself, "what in the world does this have to do with porn?" Good question. You see, the same principle applies to the popularity of gay male "twink" porn stars. The implied innocence of someone--be it a member of a boy band or a twink porn star-- coupled with their outward display of ecstatic sexuality is not only in itself an incredible contradiction, but also an alluring antithesis.

What that means is when you look at someone like Nick Carter, the 18 year old blond Backstreet Boy in a relaxed state (that is, when he isn't performing or in "erotic" mode), he is pretty much your normal looking teenager. He's attractive, well built and clearly has it "going on." He only becomes an utterly twinkable male when he begins to perform. Once he begins to thrust his hips, "rock" his body, and smirk with that ever so appealing mouth, he transforms into a sexually charged twink.

At the same time, this illustration can be applied to gay male twink porn stars. For example, last year's most notable twink, Jay Anthony (pictured right). Outwardly, to an unassuming audience, Anthony simply appeared to be your average cute youthful porn star, nothing more. Only once you see him in action does that impression change radically. In his stint with All Worlds Video (where he did most of his work), he went from role to role, giving off enough sexually charged energy in his performances to not only turn on, but to transfix the viewer. You were shocked that this heretofore naive sounding and acting youth was talking dirty with the best of them, and he also really knew how to have down and dirty, fantastically erotic sex.

This is not to say that anyone can be a twink. If you take another youthful fellow, Richie Fine for example, and attempt to make the twink connection, you fail. Fine, while certainly a handsome man, isn't a twink. First of all, he doesn't look innocent. The gold chain that seems to be permanently around his neck paired with his general "look" doesn't equal innocence and purity. In addition, Fine is usually not very exciting (vocally or otherwise) when he performs in his videos.