“Heated Rivarly” stars Hudson Williams and François Arnaud have responded to “I Love LA” star Jordan Firstman, who said the show’s depiction of gay sex is “not how gay people fuck.”
On an Instagram post reporting Firstman’s criticism, Arnaud commented, “Is there only one way to have ‘authentic’ gay sex on tv? Should the sex that closeted hockey players have look like the sex that sceney LA gay guys have?”
Williams reshared the comment to his Instagram Story and wrote, “But truly go watch ‘I Love LA’! Jordan and the cast are great!”
When asked to compare the gay sex scenes in “Heated Rivalry” and “I Love LA,” Firstman told Vulture, “Yeah, we’re going for it. It’s gay. I’m sorry, I watched those first two episodes of ‘Heated Rivalry’ and it’s just not gay. It’s not how gay people fuck. There’s so few things that actually show gay sex.”
Firstman went on to say that audiences don’t want to see authentic depictions of queer love in Hollywood. He added, “But they want to see ‘Heated Rivalry.’ I go to art to be confronted and to think, but a lot of people just want entertainment or to see two straight hockey players pretending to be gay and fucking.”
On Saturday morning, Firstman walked back his comments, writing on his Instagram Story, “I love ‘Heated Rivalry’ and ultimately I’m a f-ggot who can’t shut the fuck up but I’m gunna get better at that.”
“Heated Rivalry” was renewed for a second season on Friday. HBO will license Season 2 without producing, as it did with Season 1. Based on Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book series, the show follows two up-and-coming hockey stars who engage in a secret romance while maintaining a facade as bitter rivals on the ice.
