Davis Mallory joined the cast of MTV's The Real World for its 18th season. Now an openly gay reality star, he has been featured on several of The Real World/Road Rules Challenges such as The Inferno III, Duel II and now Rivals in Costa Rica. For Mallory The Real World life is a jungle these days!
Windy City Times: Hi, Davis, nice to see you at the GLAAD event. How did you get involved with the organization?
Davis Mallory: I got involved because I write for AfterElton.com, the gay and lesbian website owned by the Logo channel. So a bunch of us came out to the event.
Windy City Times: You are from Georgia. Where are you currently residing?
Davis Mallory: I live in Naperville, Ills.
Windy City Times: So you are in the new season of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
Davis Mallory: Yes, this one is called Rivals and it is in the jungle of Costa Rica.
Windy City Times: What part of Costa Rica?
Davis Mallory: Dominical—we were on the Pacific side, south of San Juan.
Windy City Times: I studied Spanish in Manuel Antonio but this sounds like you were in the forest.
Davis Mallory: We were literally in the rainforest part. We had a house kind of up in the trees. It was on a cliff over the ocean. We had monkey, toucans, snakes and frogs all around.
Windy City Times: The monkeys are adorable there. Did you play with one?
Davis Mallory: One got onto our property and some people were feeding it and petting it. I didn't want the germs on me so I didn't touch it.
Windy City Times: Who is on this season?
Davis Mallory: It has the typical cast with Johnny Bananas, Kenny and Paula, who are always there. There are older ones that haven't been on in a while like Robin from San Diego or Aneesa. I felt like I was one of the older bunch because there are a lot of fresh faces with new seasons of The Real World. I haven't been watching it.
Windy City Times: When did you stop watching the show?
Davis Mallory: My season. [ Laughs ] I have watched a few episodes of Brooklyn because I had a few friends on that season of The Real World. JD was on that season. I got meet him right before his season started to give him some tips then when he got on the show I watched him.
Windy City Times: He's a cutie.
Davis Mallory: He is very cute.
Windy City Times: What tips do you give somebody going through the experience?
Davis Mallory: I wish someone would have told me that there are a lot of rules that the show puts on you. They give you fines to keep you in line. At the end they forgive them all. No one told me that they were forgiven. I was keeping track of such things like coming in on time, not touching my microphone and only letting production touch it or not mentioning the words "production" and "camera crew." You couldn't say "The Real World" ever when you were filming because they would fine you. But they don't really do it.
Windy City Times: When [ did ] the show start?
Davis Mallory: June 22nd.
Windy City Times: What do you get out of doing this show?
Davis Mallory: I say yes to it because I like to travel. They always take me to places that I couldn't take myself. South Africa and New Zealand were the first two. This time it was Costa Rica so I was little bummed when I found out it was there. I could take myself there.
Windy City Times: But still it is a nice trip.
Davis Mallory: It is a nice trip.
Windy City Times: Aneesa is a lesbian. Any other gays on the Rivals?
Davis Mallory: Evelyn is also a lesbian and has one some of these challenges before. There are some bi-curious girls.
Windy City Times: Evelyn is crazy but I like her.
Davis Mallory: She is my buddy on this season. We walk around together and just talk. She is a lesbian and I am gay so we have that in common. People on these shows can be really mean. Neither of us have that mean side.
Windy City Times: How is AfterElton.com going for you?
Davis Mallory: I write their music column. Music I have been passionate about since I was young. Members of my family are songwriters or managers to musicians. I was an aspiring pop star when I was a kid. I basically auditioned for The Real World to be on TV and work with a network. Writing a music column for Logo, which is part of their network is part of that.
Windy City Times: Do you sing?
Davis Mallory: I wouldn't consider myself a wannabe pop star but when I was younger I did. I am not a Real Housewives of New York singer like Simon van Kempen or anything.
Windy City Times: Do you go to a lot of concerts in Chicago?
Davis Mallory: Every week. I went to New Kids on the Block and Bruno Mars. I interviewed Jonelle Monae for the website today.
Windy City Times: Great. Are you very active on your website?
Davis Mallory: Yes, for this season of Rivals they give us free boutique clothing. I always donate it to the It Gets Better campaign, GLAAD or The Trevor Project to auction it all off as soon as the show airs on E-bay. People can find out more about it on my Facebook fan page, twitter Davis_Mallory and my website.
Keep it real with Davis at www.davismallory.com and follow the drama of the Rivals challenge at www.mtv.com with a new episode every Wednesday.
Photos courtesy of MTV
