Fans were shocked to witness former celebrity blogger Mario Lavandeira a.k.a. Perez Hilton’s epic crashout on social media. While on TikTok Live, he was harming himself with what appears to be a metal chef-grade spreader. There was blood, gore, and a cry for help that broke the internet. 

Police from Miami-Dade County were called to the scene; he has been hospitalized. The fact that this traumatic incident was broadcast on TikTok brought up the topic of moderation. Hilton’s account has since been banned from TikTok, but by now the cat is out of the bag, and the clip is circulating online. 

It’s hard not to reflect on how Hilton both represents a major turning point in Internet culture, and this incident may be a warning of its potential end. A statement on his blog from his representatives confirms that his family was on the scene minutes before the incident but quickly fled to protect his children and niece from any future trauma. 

Hilton’s agent, Dante Rusciolelli, told Us Weekly in a statement. “Our focus remains on Perez’s health, recovery, and the privacy of both him and his family during this incredibly difficult time…We respectfully ask that everyone continue to honor his privacy while he receives the care he needs.”

A recurring theme on social media is that Hilton, at the height of his fame and media reach, would not respect the privacy of any celebrity. After all, he was one of the regular outlets covering Britney Spears’s famous shaved-head meltdown and part of the “Leave Britney Alone” mythos. 

A Bit of Background

Before Hilton, there were celebrities famous for being famous like Angelyne and Paris Hilton. However, some may say he was the first to monetize it. From his laptop at a coffee shop, he galvanized the Internet by skewering celebrities. 

Nothing was off limits. He outed celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Clay Aiken, and Lance Bass. He spoiled the finale of season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and he posted celebrity nudes, including up-skirt photos of teen starlets like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan, the same young women he also cyber-bullied.

Times have changed, and despite his many attempts to rehab his image, including having children, publicly apologizing, and even finding God, nothing brought him back to the public eye. He was recently hospitalized for sepsis and claims to have reflected on his behavior in the past. 

This incident really shines a light on the intersection of mental health and fame in this country. In a post-Kardashian world, being a celebrity is not about talent or professional accolades. It has become about how you can increase your follower count. Whether it is stretching out Marilyn Monroe’s dress, becoming a black Nazi like Kanye West, or even becoming President, it’s about how you can shock, awe, and find your base. 

Los Angeles is a city that lives and dies by television and movies, but social media has shifted how this business works. People are cast from large social media followings. People who do manage to build a following face some of the darker aspects of fame. Whether it’s Chappell Roan’s beef with paparazzi and fans, or Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie having to ask for privacy and respect for their humanity, even if you reach the level of fame, it’s not all roses. 

Add to this the fact that this is all tied to social media. Your fame is quantified by the number of followers, likes, and page views, while people are found in a negative feedback loop of dopamine addiction, clout chasing, and pushing themselves further to find more followers. 

On August 1, Floridian influencer Whitney Lynn was thrown off a flight claiming spiritual warfare when she was disrupting the flight by proselytizing. Was she doing this for social media follows? The Internet is now rampant with people causing scenes in planes, staging pranks and scenarios, and violating people’s privacy all in the pursuit of attention. 

Hopefully Hilton finds the help he needs. This entire incident has called into question the entirety of internet culture. Who is responsible for the trauma that people inflict on other people? At what point do we intercede in Internet use before people have no other recourse but to harm themselves on live? And at what point does the toxic energy we put onto the net bounce back to us? 

Similar to Hilton, Wendy Williams faced her own crisis, and maybe she put it best: “I would ask you to respect our privacy, but please, I don’t respect people’s privacy; that’s why I do the Hot Topics. So turnabout is fair game.”

If you know anyone struggling with self-harm, text CONNECT to 741741 for free confidential support or dial 988 for the suicide and crisis helpline.

Eliot Glazer is a self-proclaimed ‘very bad gay guy.’ It’s a title the man wears with pride; he got his start writing for hit shows like The Boys and New Girl, imbuing every series with the dry, constantly dark humor that has come to define him as a creator. It’s a style of comedy that he carried into his career as a comedian, with the past few years seeing Glazer alternate between writing on hit shows and making audiences laugh through his stand-up. He uses each platform to hilariously describe his many mistakes, commenting on the chaotic gay community while emphasizing how bad he is at fitting in with the rest of his homosexual species. 

While his many fans have heard Glazer speak about this, these observations are often packaged through TV writing or punchlines, rarely getting to the heart of what it means to feel like you’re bad at being yourself. His audience has never gotten the chance to know the moments that forged Eliot as a ‘bad gay’ and what he truly means with this label — until now. 

In his new book, The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay, Eliot Glazer writes a collection of essays that show a side audiences have never seen before. In his own words, it is “a documentation of gay failures” and a “catalog of wrongs and misses,” a vulnerable exposé on the artist that audiences have loved for years. He humorously describes the lessons that built him and the moments that left him feeling distanced from his own community. And, throughout all the laughs (and occasional tears), Glazer makes readers question if maybe they’re a ‘bad gay’ too — and would that really be such a bad thing?

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“[Comedy] is the only language that I speak,” laughed Glazer, as he discussed what made him pursue a career in the genre. “Clearly it’s a defense mechanism…but I also feel like it’s the only way I can communicate with other people.” And he certainly does communicate; each of the book’s essays provides an almost too-relatable anecdote from the man’s life. Whether it’s almost getting outed by a ruthless high school drama teacher or dealing with ‘demon twinks’ on Fire Island, Eliot’s exploits will resonate with most gay men who grew up in the closet and have dabbled in their city’s local nightlife. 

Yet while funny, readers may be shocked at the amount of vulnerability that Glazer offers within each page. Readers quickly learn that his self-prescribed status as a ‘bad gay’ comes from a lack of easy connection with the other gay men around him. Living in larger cities means that he is constantly thrust into loud parties, drug-fueled exchanges, and otherwise boisterous outings that those around him seem to love. He emphasizes that he in no way judges that lifestyle, but that he’s never felt at ease in these bombastic settings, causing the anxiety in these essays…as well as some of the funniest jokes. Because, as Glazer explains, “I just kind of have to find a way to joke about it to keep it from being more uncomfortable than it might already be…it’s just a way to survive.”

In the humor, Glazer offers an uncomfortably relatable image of queer anxiety. He recounts moments most would try to forget, like one heartbreaking scene where of being so nervous about being judged at a party that he suffers a panic attack and never even goes in, leaving before anyone even has the chance to judge him. Eliot expressed how uncomfortable it was to transcribe moments like this — a far cry from his usual comedic writing — but knew that it was because they were so uncomfortable that he had to include them in his book. 

“The more vulnerable you are, the more you connect to people, the more they relate to you,” he said. “I like the idea of reaching other queer people and gay men who don’t necessarily feel the opportunity to share that sense of social anxiety or whatever feelings might bring shame to them, because I do feel like we as a community self-impose a level of pressure that I’m just yearning to break through.”

It’s an unfortunate truth of many gay circles; in the age of social media, countless groups in society have become fixated on appearing perfect, with many gay men desperately evading any chance of appearing ‘cringe’ to their judgmental peers. This is not everyone, of course, but it’s an issue pervasive enough that countless men just like Glazer feel uncomfortable being their genuine selves in gay spaces, not even finding the freedom of authenticity within their own community.

Glazer has faced this issue all his life, but through each essay of The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay, readers watch as the man comes to love himself beyond some pre-set image he’s been told to fit into. It’s a realization that only came from years of self-work, time that Eliot hopes to spare readers by being so vulnerable and inviting them into his own journey through his writing. 

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Eliot lives in Los Angeles and is actually hosting a discussion of the book at BookSoup on Tuesday, August 11th. He raved about how excited he was, and how he hopes this event will help connect him with anyone else who thinks they’re a ‘bad gay,’ saying, “I want other people to feel the comfort to acknowledge what makes them feel awkward or weird in the world…I do really hope, very selfishly, that I can meet other people who need to express and have catharsis in just also being like me too, me too.”

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And that is the core message of The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay: there is no wrong way to be queer. Eliot Glazer invites you to laugh at his many fumbles while reminding you that if you connect with him, that doesn’t mean you’re wrong! Rather, it means you’re not alone. And that for however isolated you may ever feel in the queer community, there are always people like Eliot out there, ready to relate to all of your mishaps and show you you’re not a ‘bad gay’ — you’re just a different kind of queer.

For his second book, local author Rasheed Newson showcases LA queer history, steamy cruising spots of yesteryear, and what it meant to be gay and Black during the golden age of Hollywood.

After a lifelong love of old Hollywood and two decades working in the entertainment industry, “There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood” is a story Newson always wanted to tell. Newson’s writing work includes shows like “Lie to Me,” “Narcos,” “Bel-Air,” and others.

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Following the fictional life of backlot fixer Aaron Toissant, Newson’s most recent novel showcases the glimmering facade of what it means to be successful in Hollywood during this time. 

The novel’s journey follows Toissant’s life and eventual investigation into the suspicious death of fictional closeted Black actor Xavier C. Barlow. The narrative of their intertwining lives is told through Toissant, where he chronicles their journey for the ONE Archives in Los Angeles. 

The novel is set during a pivotal time for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, years before the Stonewall riots and marriage equality, and under the Hays Code era of Hollywood.

The Hays Code governed the U.S. film industry from 1934 to 1968 with a list of restricted topics movies couldn’t include in their subject matter, leading to censorship. During the same time, the Cold War’s Red Scare also contributed to blacklisting and censorship.

These strict guidelines were made after a wave of conservative religious critics threatened to boycott films and values they claimed were “immoral,” according to the 1995 documentary “The Celluloid Closet,” which critiques 100 years of LGBTQ+ depictions in film.

The guidelines were made by a federal motion picture commission, and the code was named after the Republican political operative who helped shape it, Will H. Hays, according to the encyclopedia site Britannica.

A list of things prohibited, according to the film, includes: profanity, sex perversion, open-mouthed kissing, lustful embraces,  seduction, rape, abortion, white slavery (which included prostitution and sex trafficking), nudity, and obscenity.

The Hays Code plays a part in the novel, where Aaron witnesses Xavier and other closeted actors do subtle changes to make the film queer-coded to those in the know. This becomes a central plot point in the book, leading readers to the dark side of the industry.

During this time period, it was illegal to be gay or participate in gay sexual acts, and many states had legal restrictions on people wearing opposite gender clothing. It was unsafe and career-ruining to be an out gay person during this period.

Homosexuality wasn’t decriminalized in California until 1975, with the passing of AB 489, according to the California State Archives.

The heightened level of danger and secrecy plays out in the novel as studio leaders do whatever it takes to protect their investment and monetary returns.

“Hollywood has done a very good job of convincing everybody that we’re this town where anything goes, and we just want to tell your story,” Newson said. “We are actually a very cautious, rather conservative business.”

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Even today, LGBTQ+ representation and being out in the entertainment space remains an uphill battle. 

LGBTQ+ inclusion in film hit a three-year low in 2025, GLAAD’s annual Where We Are in Film study found. This decrease in LGBTQ+ characters disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color. “Of the 112 LGBTQ characters recorded, 34 (30%) are characters of color, a decrease from the 36% counted the previous year,” according to the report.

Much of the opulence and Hollywood parties featured in the novel are set in the backdrop of real-life Black and queer Hollywood hotspots like the Dunbar Hotel, the Biltmore, Central Avenue, and the Crown Jewel. 

Newson called Central Avenue the “heart of Black Hollywood in the 50s and 60s.”

Deed restrictions and discriminatory practices — like redlining — prevented Black families from living in or making a life in any other neighborhoods, according to the LA Conservancy website, leading to a prevalent Black arts scene in Central Avenue.

“I loved writing about the Crown Jewel (Cocktail Room) and how Black queers had a hard time sometimes getting into white gay spaces,” Newson said. “Even in gay spaces, racism is still a problem. Your average gay white man may not have been any more racially evolved than your average straight white man.”

“That there was segregation among queers is something we don’t like to talk about; it sort of just doesn’t come up in your average queer history,” he added.

Police targeting and discriminatory practices played a key part in the later portion of the novel.

Newson highlighted common practices of the time, including raids on suspected gay bars — which police called “fairy dusting,” according to Newson — and entrapment practices where undercover police posed as gay men to then arrest gay men they seduce or were propositioned by. 

Black and Latino gay men endured especially harsh treatment from police, and lesbians were also subjected to raids in addition to bogus charges, detentions and beatings during this time, according to Atavist Magazine.

Newson also called out Los Angeles Police Department’s then-chief Bill Parker by name in the novel (via Touissant’s character), highlighting his targeting of gay men during his run as chief from 1950 to 1966.

Newson wrote, “his police force operated like a band of slave catchers. They stalked, entrapped, beat, captured, and sometimes killed their targets. High on their list of enemies were sex perverts — namely, homosexuals.”

Additionally, a pivotal point of the book highlighted the Black Cat Tavern raid in Los Feliz.

Predating the Stonewall riots by two years, the Los Feliz raid took place in 1967 on New Year’s Day and was the site of violent enforcement of anti-homosexuality laws and sentiment during that time. 

The peaceful protest that followed a month after was one of the first forms of LGBTQ+ resistance for gay rights in the nation. The still-standing bar, now called The Black Cat, became California’s first LGBTQ+ historical landmark in October 2023.

“It was sort of fun because it rewards you (the reader) for knowing the history, but it doesn’t punish you for not knowing,” Newson said of the inclusion of the raid.

The novel’s local hotspot highlights don’t stop with historical significance. 

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Filled with a mix of deep, meaningful love connections and steamy one-time hookups, the book also highlights LA’s cruising scene. 

Popular cruising spots during this time that Newson wanted to highlight include: Pershing Square, LAX bathrooms, the Subway Terminal Building, Central Library, the Biltmore Hotel’s men’s bar, and Griffith Park.

Newson’s addition of real-life LGBTQ+ history into his fiction writing is not new. His first book, “My Government Means to Kill Me,” did the same while covering a young Black man coming into his identity during the AIDS epidemic in New York.

He is currently working on his third book, based on a Black gay serial killer in San Francisco during the 1970s. 

“There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood” is available now anywhere books are sold.

Disney had a moment of true magic by reviving X-Men: The Animated Series. It was a miracle for 90s kids, and the throngs of people dying to see the X-Men in media. It’s been so long that by the time the MCU has a new X-Men movie, we may be fighting real-life Sentinels. Regardless, that first season galvanized fans everywhere. 

Led by queer showrunner Beau DeMayo, the series managed to bring a more adult spin to the X-Men universe. It tackled major storylines including Inferno, Genosha, Fatal Attractions, and Operation: Zero Tolerance. It brought back that opening theme song that drove countless Saturday mornings for a generation. The series brought back all of the voice actors of the original series to deliver additional stories featuring villains like Mister Sinister, Bastion, and Madeline Pryor. 

Many people have anxiously awaited the return of the series, but the season has been met with mixed reviews. After the unexpected departure of DeMayo, there were concerns over how the show might end up in others’ hands. So how does this season measure up?

There have been some complaints and issues with the pacing of this series. Even in season one, many of these long multiple-title comic book arcs were resolved in less than 30 minutes. This season has each episode capped at 30 minutes, and while there are a ton of cameos and worldbuilding, there is a question of whether this series sticks the landing. 

This season featured 3 episodes resolving the X-Men’s departure through time after last season’s cliffhanger, with Apocalypse serving as the season’s big bad. There’s been the introduction of teams like X-Factor and X-Force to really place us in the 1990s, Jim Lee era of the X-Men. There have also been allusions to later seasons in a way that was deftly handled in season one. 

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Season 1 managed to zoom through storylines, but it all felt in service to an overall narrative, and it felt like it was under the helm of a true fan of the series. It’s unclear what meddling has happened since DeMayo was ousted, but there are definitely far fewer memeable moments.  

There have been some good bits. The iconic opening sequence was rebranded for X-Force was a welcome surprise. There also was an episode that was pitched as a Wolverine/Weapon X-centered episode but quickly became about queer nonbinary character Morph having to realize he’s in love with the wrong man. There’s even something for the ladies with queer-coded Polaris, returning to the X-Men and getting her own central storyline. She’s also being presented as a potential love interest for bishop. 

A welcome addition to the cast includes Naoko Mori from Absolutely Fabulous, Torchwood, and a recent appearance in The Boys’ final season playing Psylocke. But are there too many characters? So far, there’s been a genocide in Genosha, the death of Gambit and another character this season, and the show is zooming through stories and shifting through characters in a way that feels less in service to the first season. 

So how is the show doing? Some of the mixed fan response could be the fact that X-Men content has been so rare and sparse that fans are precious to have to watch the same characters from the Bryan Singer-verse, which are getting their nachos reheated in Avengers: Doomsday.  

It’s also unclear what might have been changed after DeMayo’s departure. After all, quotes like Deathbird’s line “Earth is so ghetto” live on in social media. It’s great that the show has shifted from focusing on Professor X and Rogue to introduce Polaris, Colossus, and Nightcrawler and give them their own storylines. 

Regardless of how you may feel about the pacing or the shift to different characters, you may be lucky because, given its success, the series is likely to continue. Season 3 is already complete and due out in 2027, and Season 4 has begun pre-production. 

Creative Eric Lewald offers some insight into Marvel Executive Brad Winderbaum’s excitement, saying, “Brad’s bursting up and down and you know he wants to do 10 [seasons], and we want him to do 10. We want eight years from now to be having more conversations like this about season 10. With 60 years of comics and all these characters…there’s really no limit.” 

Time will tell if they deliver a satisfying ending, but here’s hoping that the creative team factor in the feedback and build something that truly delivers what fans have been aching for because one startling difference between the original animated series was the sheer number of episodes and the ability to explore storylines even if they did it in a more kid-friendly way. 

Even if we find the latest season mid, we can at least make peace with the fact that Disney is finally delivering on the X-Universe, which has countless characters and riveting storylines and couldn’t be any more relevant than to today’s political climate.

X-Men ’97 season 2 now streaming on Disney+

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.

AMSTERDAM — Madonna and 6,000 of her closest friends celebrated World Pride at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall early Sunday morning. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.

Madonna last Wednesday nearly broke the internet when she said on social media in Dutch that “I got somethin’ I wanna talk about,” referring to an opening line in “Danceteria,” one of the tracks on her “Confessions II” album that has received rave reviews since its July 2 release. The track has been on near constant replay on my playlist since I first heard it.

👀 pic.twitter.com/TeuHcUzNt9

— Madonna (@Madonna) July 28, 2026

MISTR — a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term care that has organized Madonna’s Club Confessions shows in the U.S. and the U.K. — later confirmed the rampant speculation. I woke up on July 30 to an email in my inbox from MISTR and the World Pride Music Festival PR team that said I was on the press list.

Madonna was indeed going to headline the World Pride Music Festival that Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced, and I was going to be there. OMFG!!!!

The gay icon had one more surprise in store.

The Dutch internet on Saturday once again broke over speculation that Kylie Minogue was going to appear alongside Madonna. I was getting ready to leave our hotel in Amsterdam on Saturday night when I saw a video of the two of them together.

“Madonna is now teasing Kylie Minogue on her social media … she may be one of her ‘special guests’ tonight,” I wrote in a text to Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff at 8:46 p.m.

“Have fun! This is turning into the gayest concert ever,” he responded.

I arrived at AFAS Live shortly before 11 p.m. My press contact walked me and two other Dutch journalists into the venue’s cavernous main room known as the Black Box. We made small talk for a few minutes before I started to walk around and listen to Josh Harrison who was on the decks.

Madonna was scheduled to take the stage at 1:30 a.m., but she is known for being late — she is Madonna and she does what she wants. Hayla, a British singer, and Bebe Rexha are among those who performed ahead of Madonna. Thousands of sweaty men — including a group of Australians next to me who were eagerly awaiting Kylie’s anticipated appearance — packed the Black Box and were dancing, anticipating what was to come.

MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft at one point came on stage and declared Madonna was indeed in the building. The moment for which we were all eagerly waiting finally came shortly before 2:30 a.m.

“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage.

Stuart Price, who produced her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album in 2005, manned the decks during Madonna’s set.

She opened it with “I Feel So Free” from “Confessions II.” Madonna then sang “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” to which this reporter — and everyone else — sang along.

Madonna then teased a surprise before she began to perform “Love Sensation.” Kylie soon appeared on stage. It was nearly too much for my fellow partygoers from Australia. It was indeed the gayest concert ever!

Madonna and Kylie performed “Love Sensation” together. They then sang “Hung Up” and “Sorry” from “Confessions on a Dance Floor” to round out the set that ended shortly after 3 a.m.

Madonna and I share the same birthday — Aug. 16 — and I would like to think she and Kylie gave me an early birthday present. In all seriousness though, it was an amazing night for me and for everyone else who was fortunate enough to be there.

“On the dance floor I feel so free,” says Madonna in the opening of “I Feel So Free.”

For those few precious hours at AFAS Live I did not think about the Trump-Vance administration and the myriad ways it is destroying the U.S. I did not think about the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. I did not think about the pointless wars that continue to ravage Ukraine and other countries around the world. I simply lost myself on the dance floor and celebrated an icon who has always stood with my community.

Thank you, Madonna.

AMSTERDAM — Madonna on Sunday headlined the final night of the World Pride in Amsterdam

The gay icon took the stage shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time (5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday) during Club Confessions, a set that MISTR, a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term HIV care, organized.

“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage inside Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall that can hold up to 6,000 people.

Stuart Price, who produced Madonna’s 2005 “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album and “Confessions II,” which debuted on July 2, DJed the set.

Kylie Minogue made a surprise appearance. She and Madonna performed a new remix of “Love Sensation” from “Confessions II.”

(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)

“Throughout my career, I’ve always supported efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, and that fight begins with education and access,” said Madonna in a MISTR press release. “With MISTR, (CEO) Tristan (Schukraft) is expanding access to HIV prevention and sexual healthcare for everyone. Through this work, he’s helping preserve and strengthen LGBTQ+ spaces while investing in the communities and culture that have long sustained us.”

Minogue in an Instagram post thanked Madonna, Price, Schukraft, and MISTR.

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Madonna appeared at The Abbey in West Hollywood in April. Madonna in June celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York’s Times Square.

Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced the World Pride Music Festival that also featured Bebe Rexha and Paris Hilton, among others.

“Pride has always been about bringing our community together,” said Resnicow. “At a moment when too many people are being told to hide or make themselves smaller, gathering openly, joyfully, and without apology matters more than ever. I couldn’t be prouder of what this festival brought to life in Amsterdam — one dance floor, completely free.”

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.

AMSTERDAM — Madonna on Saturday will perform at World Pride in Amsterdam.

She is scheduled to appear alongside Stuart Price, Honey Dijon, and other “special guests” at the World Pride Music Festival at AFAS Live concert hall. The Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade will take place earlier on Saturday.

MISTR, a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term HIV care, is organizing Madonna’s performance.

Madonna on July 2 released her new album, “Confessions II,” to rave reviews.

She appeared at The Abbey in West Hollywood in April. Madonna in June celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York’s Times Square.

“Everyone here is a work of art,” says the World Pride Music Festival performance poster, referring to a line from “Danceteria” on “Confessions II.”

When I wrote my review of the first season of “Heartstopper,” I said that if the series could only be summed up in one word, it would be “adorable.”

After an additional two seasons and a movie length series finale (which began streaming on Netflix July 17), I’m going to make up a new rule and say that I can choose a second word to close things out. By the time I reach the end of my review of “Heartstopper Forever,” in which our adorable Nick and Charlie must face the possibility that their tender young romance may not be able to survive their graduation to college, I hope I’ll have figured which word it would be.

Directed by Wash Westmoreland and written (as always) by Alice Oseman, artist and creator behind the YA webcomic/graphic novel that launched the whole “Heartstopper” phenomenon, this final installment finds a very different Nick and Charlie than we met in those early episodes – yet in many ways they’re still very much the same. Far from the timid and bullied queer lad of the first season, Charlie (Joe Locke) is now boldly out and confident enough to win the election for “head boy” in his final year at school, and Nick (Kit Connor) no longer struggles with being open about his bisexuality; yet as the stress of their impending separation – each to a different college in a different city – begins to become more urgent, both of them fall back on old patterns.

To those of us who have been around long enough to re-examine such a crisis with 20/20 hindsight, that’s bound to strike chords of recognition. To the younger “Heartstopper” fans, however, it’s likely to feel like high drama – exactly as it did for us when we were going through it ourselves. It’s not just Nick and Charlie, either; other characters, like transgender prodigy Elle (Yasmin Finney) and her cis-het boyfriend Tao (William Gao), must also come to terms with the changing dynamics of their relationships. The result is multiple mirrors through which queer teens can see their own experience reflected, which has always been the appeal of “Heartstopper” in the first place. And as it has from the beginning, Oseman’s intent to provide her teen audience with positive perspectives shines through, ensuring that the story’s final chapter lands in a place where hope can belong to everyone.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its share of dark moments – it wouldn’t be “Heartstopper” if it didn’t, would it? Part of the show’s value for its fans, young and old alike, has always come through its various characters’ growing pains; their missteps and misjudgments, their confused emotions, their fumbling efforts at “first times,” their struggles toward self-esteem. All these and more have provided the necessary “weight” to counter the show’s bubbly optimism and keep it from becoming as insubstantial as spun sugar. More importantly, these issues have always been the real core of the story: We love the sweetness of the romance, but the deeper satisfaction comes from watching these young people navigate all their challenges, sometimes alone but more often together, and build a community through the shared experience of working through them.

The final installment, having brought Charlie, Nick, and all the rest to the cusp of young adulthood, brings a suitably more mature level of problems into the mix. Sure, Charlie has grown into the hero he once needed himself, but the uncertainty that emerges between himself and Nick as they ponder their impending separation is enough to spark a relapse of his eating disorder; likewise, Nick may be confident and unguarded about his sexuality and openly proud of being Charlie’s boyfriend, but that doesn’t stop him from slipping back into self-doubt (and bad behavior) when he contemplates the possibility that their love story might be coming to an end. We know they have the “tools” to get back on track, but with everything so up in the air, will they be able to remember how to use them?

So, too, throughout the series, we have seen these kids come to terms with their individual queerness, navigating those personal journeys and learning how to embrace who they are in an environment where, for the most part, they get a lot of support. At the same time, there have been shadows around the edges, encounters and circumstances that remind them (and us) that, outside the protective circle provided by their school and each other, bigotry still exists. In “Heartstopper Forever,” those reminders are still there, and they feel all the more ominous – not just because of the worldwide rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, though that’s tied to it, but because these bright young things will soon be moving into a larger world where safety and shelter from the hate is not quite so certain.

Still, it’s Nick and Charlie’s story above all else, and naturally the main focus of this finale is on them. There has always been a too-good-to-be-true perfection to their romance, but Locke and Connor are so good at bringing it to life we believe it; here, fittingly for a final chapter, these boys finally face the crossroad that comes with adulthood – the recognition that, one way or another, there will be an ending to their relationship. How they handle that, we won’t spoil; once again, though, this is “Heartstopper,” one can feel sure that Oseman’s characters will work their way through it in the most imperfectly perfect – and emotionally satisfying – way possible.

Deserving of mention: characters like Isaac (Tobie Donovan), Imogen (Rhea Norwood), and Charlie’s sister Tori (Jenny Walser) return to get their fair share of the spotlight, and gay teachers Mr. Ajayi (Fisayo Akinade) and Mr. Farouk (Nima Taleghani) get the chance for a new beginning of their own; and out UK acting legend Derek Jacobi (“I, Claudius”) appears alongside real-life partner Richard Clifford as an elderly couple in a quiet but important scene at the cafe where Charlie works.

With any “franchise” as popular as “Heartstopper,” the task of bringing closure to a story that has emotionally involved so many fans is almost always a thankless one (just ask George Lucas), so there are sure to be some who have objections to the way Oseman brings her beloved story to an end; but it’s her story to end, and in choosing to uphold its sensational (yet sentimental) imagining of the world as it could be, “Heartstopper Forever” doubles down on the idea that we can make it the way that it should be. 

That’s why my choice for the second word we can use to sum up “Heartstopper” is “aspirational.” In the relative innocence and un-ironic preciousness of Nick and Charlie’s enduring love story, we can find no excuses; not all of us can keep our first love alive for an entire lifetime (nor, often, should we), but maybe we can learn to follow our hearts as surely and openly as they do.

That’s about as aspirational as any of us can hope to be – but don’t worry: it’s still adorable, too.

Actor François Arnaud made a splash as gay hockey player Scott Hunter in “Heated Rivalry.” Now the Under Armour athletic apparel company is counting on the actor to make a splash promoting its HeatGear sportswear line.

The Baltimore-based company announced on July 23 that it has made Arnaud its newest global brand ambassador and that he will headline “For When It’s Hot,” a promotional campaign celebrating its HeatGear franchise.

 A 45-second video released by the company features Arnaud exercising in Under Armour gear – lifting weights, doing crunches and battling ropes while the neighbors gawk — and then taking his shirt off, wiping his face with it and throwing it at the camera. A jogger passing by is apparently so flustered that he runs into a couple of trash cans.

“It’s hot out there,” an announcer says. “Temperatures are expected to keep rising.” 

Arnaud, 41, never made it to The Cottage, but he had a prominent role in the steamy gay hockey romance show, which debuted last fall on HBO Max and the Canadian streaming service Crave. His character wore tight-fitting Under Armour products throughout the series, including a memorable scene where he meets his love interest Kip, played by Robbie G. K. (Robbie Graham-Kuntz), at the fictional Straw + Berry smoothie shop. Hunter’s Under Armour logo is hard to miss as he waits for his extra-banana blueberry smoothie.

“Arnaud has earned international recognition for his dynamic work across film and television, most recently captivating audiences with his breakout role in ‘Heated Rivalry,’” Under Armour said in announcing its partnership with the actor. “His performance sparked widespread fan engagement and conversation online, including enthusiasm around the character’s connection to sport, training and Under Armour products featured throughout the series.”

 “What drew us to François was more than his obvious talent and looks, it was what he represents,” said Matt Dornic, chief communications officer for Under Armour, in a statement. “The character he portrays ultimately finds his greatest success when he stops trying to fit someone else’s mold and embraces who he truly is. That’s a lesson that resonates deeply with us. The best athletes perform with confidence, conviction and authenticity, and we believe the strongest brands do too. As Under Armour continues to evolve, we’re focused on being unmistakably ourselves, and François embodies that mindset in everything he does.”

 Long known for its partnerships with professional athletes, Under Armour also names ambassadors from the fields of entertainment and culture. Others include country music star Parker McCollum and Grammy-nominated rapper Gunna. These partnerships, the company says, “reflect the brand’s expanding view of performance and its belief that athletic mindset extends far beyond the field of play.”

 “The connection between sport and culture is stronger than ever, and that’s creating exciting opportunities to engage athletes and fans in new ways,” said Tyler Rutstein, Under Armour’s Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Americas Marketing, in a statement.

 “François is at the center of a moment that fans are genuinely passionate about, and we’re excited to be part of it,” he continued.” As a brand, we’re focused on showing up in authentic sport moments and clever cultural crossovers. When we recognized François wearing Under Armour organically, we knew a partnership would feel authentic to both of our fan bases.”

 “François’s character held a cultural mirror up to the brand and we liked what it reflected — hardworking, relentless and an athlete whose performance improved when he embraced his authentic self,” Dornic told ADWEEK. “That is especially meaningful at this moment for UA. With [founder] Kevin [Plank] returning as CEO, we’ve been really intentional about connecting with our roots and reigniting what makes UA great.” 

Arnaud identifies as bisexual. His “For When It’s Hot” campaign for Under Armour has launched globally and will run across Under Armour’s social channels, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

 To celebrate the occasion, Under Armour had a pop-up “HeatGear Smoothie Bar” at its headquarters over the weekend. One popular flavor was named “Blue Moon over Baltimore” – a nod to Scott Hunter’s favorite smoothie in the show, “Blue Moon over Brooklyn.”

“If you’d told the skinny awkward kid I used to be that one day I’d be an ambassador for a sportswear brand, I would’ve laughed,” Arnaud said in Under Armour’s announcement. “What makes this moment feel so special is that it’s [a] reminder that we don’t always end up where we expect, and growth can look very different from what we imagined. Grateful and honored to partner with Under Armour who were willing to meet me right where I want to be.”

 Fan reaction to the collaboration was overwhelmingly positive, with one commenter on social media suggesting that Under Armour rename itself “Under Arnaud.”

 “It’s a great day to be bisexual,” said a second.

 “Such a big deal to have an out and proud bisexual man to be the new ambassador of a major sports brand campaign like this!” said a third. “Love our bi king François and shoutout to Under Armour!”

Tello Films is treating July like one long advent calendar, opening the door to a catalog of LGBTQ+ holiday romance. So sit back, drink some hot cocoa, grab a blanket, and visit the world of LGBTQ+ holiday romance.

The enduring LGBTQ+ streaming platform is celebrating “Christmas in July” by revisiting its holiday catalog, with the 2025 sapphic rom-com The Christmas Writer at the forefront. The film follows Noel Robbins, a renowned lesbian Christmas author, who struggles with grief, loss, and writer’s block surrounding the holidays. Along the way, she meets Callie, who helps her rediscover her passion for writing – and for helping her move forward.

For Tello Films founder and CEO Christin Baker, the company’s holiday catalog began with a mission: to address what was missing in seasonal entertainment. “The biggest thing that was missing was lesbian leads,” Baker tells the Blade. “We existed in holiday movies, but we were usually side characters of part of a family ensemble.” 

Baker makes it clear that, although lesbians appeared in holiday films, they remained largely absent from the romantic leads at their center. Drawing from her own experience, she explains to the Blade why this inclusion matters: “Those familiar holiday rom-com tropes are comforting for a reason, and our community deserved to see ourselves in those stories too.”

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The Christmas Writer, however, also explores the difficulty of being boxed into a particular kind of storytelling. For example, the film highlights how Noel feels trapped by the expectation that she must continue writing Christmas romances even as grief prevents her from writing. Baker explains that Noel’s desire to move beyond an established creative identity mirrors her own experiences with Tello. 

“I absolutely love a great lesbian Christmas rom-com, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Tello. But I also love thrillers,” Baker said. “I’ve made a few lesbian thrillers that didn’t perform nearly as well as our holiday films, and I’ll admit that was frustrating. It can feel like audiences – and sometimes the industry – want you to stay in the lane you’ve become known for, even when you have other stories you’re passionate about telling.”

The tension may feel familiar to LGBTQ+ audiences accustomed to labels that come with expectations about how they should act or what they should create. Although Baker has found it difficult to move beyond the genre for which Tello is best known, she continues pursuing other creative interests – even when those projects attract smaller audiences. Still, that frustration does not diminish the significance of the holiday catalog she has built.

Tello has developed what it describes as “the largest collection of lesbian holiday films available on any streaming service.” Its catalog includes A Holiday I Do, Christmas at the Ranch, Merry & Gay, The Holiday Club, Last ExMas, and many other seasonal titles.

Part of the appeal of Baker’s films is that their plots do not center on whether others will accept the characters’ identities. LGBTQ+ films are typically associated with stories of rejection and conflict surrounding sexuality. Instead, Baker intentionally creates worlds in which the LGBTQ+ community is already accepted. “The conflict isn’t that someone is lesbian or nonbinary,” Baker says, “Their mom accepts them. Their grandmother accepts them. Their town accepts them… I want audiences to experience what it feels like to be embraced without conditions, even if it’s just for the length of a movie.”

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Tello also expands representation to aspiring writers – even those who have been rejected by studios. According to Baker, all of the platform’s holiday romantic comedies originated with a new writer rather than an established screenwriter with easy access to a studio. “A studio executive may never read their script. At Tello, that’s exactly whose script we want to read.”

Baker is especially proud that Tello has pursued a mission distinct from Hollywood: “One thing I’m incredibly proud of is that Tello has never tried to compete with Hollywood.” The familiar formula remains, but the platform uses it to create opportunities for filmmakers – and for communities the entertainment industry has historically overlooked.

As July gives way to August, Tello’s holiday catalog offers more than a simple escape from the summer heat. It imagines a snowy world in which LGBTQ+ audiences can find representation on screen and opportunities to tell their own stories behind it.

“That’s what Tello has always been about: giving our community not just representation on screen, but a pathway behind the camera as writers, directors, and filmmakers.”

Check out Christmas in July at www.TelloFilms.com.