Boy Culture Links: QUEERTIES Announce Nominees, François Arnaud Shuts Down Andy Cohen, Trumpism to Cost GOP in November, Karamo Brown's Fragile Mental Health & More

JANUARY 20, 2026

That tight smile! (Image via Bravo)

DECIDER: François Arnaud got spicy in his appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live!, responding to Andy’s question about whether he’s single or not with: “None of your fucking business.”

He did say if he had to shag/marry/kill the Heated Rivalry characters, he would kill Shane (Hudson Williams), shag Ilya (Connor Storrie) and marry Kip (Robbie GK).

Fans of the show have been up in arms over rumors Arnaud is in a relationship with Storrie IRL, leading to Arnaud unfollowing everyone and probably fueling his pushback when Andy inquired about his status.

NEW YORK TIMES: While this new op-ed in The New York Times posits that Heated Rivalry “masks” a backlash against gay people, I would argue it is a heartening pushback against the pushback. Either way, the anti-queer backlash is real, and frightening.

Indecent proposal (Image via video still)

FACEBOOK: My response is, “I do!”

PEOPLE: I can’t stand Karamo Brown. He was riding high with Queer Eye (which is coming to an end) and his next choice was to host a muck-raking Maury Povich-type show? Whatever. Now, he’s skipping interviews with his Queer Eye co-stars because his brain hurts:

“I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can't be there today.”

His co-stars appear to be blindsided by this, with Antoni Porowski saying:

“I think, definitely a little surprised, but at the same time, look, we’re so sorry that he’s not here. We fully support, I think as a collective unit, him taking care of himself and I think to echo what he’s saying, we’re here to honor the legacy of a decade, which is so wild to think about and all the heroes we’ve helped. And to just really put a spotlight on the incredible heroes we have this season in D.C.”

BBC: Brooklyn Beckham claims his mom Victoria Beckham danced up on him in an inappropriate way at his wedding.

POLITICO: Decoding French President Macron’s text to Trump.

POLITICAL TRIBUNE: Right-wing host Erick Erickson — who was a never-Trumper, then backed him in ‘20, then decried Trump’s election denialism, then backed him again in 2024 — is back to believing Trump needs an “intervention.”

Matthew Rettenmund@mattrett

PoliticsGirl EVISCERATES Scott Jennings Over Trump Blocking The Epstein ... youtube.com/shorts/okBRwJ3… via @YouTube

4:35 PM · Jan 20, 2026 · 3 Views

TWITTER: CNN guest Leigh McGowan leapt on fellow guest Scott Jennings when he blithely dismissed concerns over the illegal blocking of the release of the Epstein Files by characterizing them as “getting our knickers in a twist.”

JOE.MY.GOD.: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) — a physician — was the deciding vote in getting RFK Jr. confirmed, now regrets that vote and is being paid back by Trump with a White House-endorsed primary challenger. These twats NEVER learn — to appease Trump is to dig your own grave. European leaders like Starmer need to learn that lesson.

HUFF POST: Karl Rove is the latest Republican to state bluntly that the GOP is going to be wiped out in November. And yes, I believe we will have an election.

EXTRATV: With the death of Valentino Garavani, 93, who are the most iconic old-school fashion designers left roaming the earth? Perhaps Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, who don’t go back as far as Valentino or other who have recently died, including Armani in September.

SOCIALITE LIFE: Model Christian Hogue has been charged with felony assault over an incident in a dog park in Nashville last summer.

A Guy and his dog (Image via studio handout)

GR8ERDAYS: The enduring beauty of Guy Madison. As an actor, he made a great model!

INSTAGRAM: Paul McCrane is not exactly chopped liver himself.

M. Arnaud is the only cast member of Heated Rivalry who is out as LGBTQ+. (Image via Crave/HBO Max)

QUEERTY: The 13th Annual Queerties are being handed out in March, and we know have a final list of nominees. Good luck to all:

**BADASS**

Honoring the year’s top LGBTQ+ newsmakers who made headlines and moved the culture forward:

• Doechii

• Jeff Hiller

• Jonathan Bailey

• Onya Nurve

• Paige Bueckers

• Reneé Rapp

• Ricky Martin

• Tramell Tillman

• Ts Madison

• Vivian Jenna Wilson

**DRAG ROYALTY**

Celebrating drag performers with major cultural impact beyond the runway:

• Aja

• Anania

• Bosco

• Brigitte Bandit

• Ginger Minj

• Gloria Groove

• Hedda Lettuce

• King Molasses

• Evah Destruction

• Utica Queen

**FUTURE ALL-STAR**

RuPaul’s Drag Race queens worthy of or overdue for an All-Stars crown:

• Jewels Sparkles

• Joella

• Kori King

• Lady Camden

• Lana Ja’Rae

• Lexi

• Plasma

• Sam Star

• Suzie Toot

• Widow Von’Du

**PODCAST**

The best podcasts hosted by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Bad Queers with Kris Chesson & Shana Sumers

• Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers & Bowen Yang

• Outlaws with Ts Madison

• Psychobabble with Korey Kuhl & Tyler Oakley

• So True with Caleb Hearon

• Tea Time with Raven-Symoné & Miranda Maday

• That’s A Gay *ss Podcast with Eric Williams

• The Kelly Mantle Show

• The Yestergays with Justin Sylvester & Blakely Thornton

• Therapuss with Jake Shane

**TIKTOKER**

LGBTQ+ TikTok accounts that captivated audiences in 2025:

• Dylan Kevitch

• Grant & Ash

• Jake Schroeder

• Johnny Sibilly

• Kendahl Landreth

• Nathan Jun

• Niecy Nash

• Nirupam

• Tell the Bees

• The Goddess Boys

**INSTA-FOLLOW**

Must-follow LGBTQ+ Instagram accounts for info, entertainment, comedy, and fashion:

• Cheyenne Jackson

• Hailee and Kendra

• Hunter Gallagher

• Kevin Ortega-Rojas

• Laron Best

• Melissa King

• Stacey Cay

• Star Amerasu

• Studbudz

• Uly Morazan

**COMIC**

Comedians who brought the laughs through specials, tours, or viral moments:

• Caleb Hearon

• Fortune Feimster

• Hannah Einbinder

• James Tom

• Jay Jurden

• Robby Hoffman

• Paris Sashay

• Ren Q. Dawe

• Tig Notaro

• Wally Baram

**THEATER**

Live theater shows by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Bat Boy: The Musical

• Clarkston

• Color Theories by Julio Torres

• Ginger Twinsies

• Heaux Church

• Messy White Gays

• Oh Mary!

• Practice

• Prince F****t

• Saturday Church

**BREAKOUT MUSICAL ARTIST**

New voices making their major breakthrough in 2025:

• Adam Mac

• Amaarae

• Bentley Robles

• Cain Culto

• CMAT

• Eli

• Gigi Perez

• KATSEYE

• Lola Young

• RaiNao

**MUSIC VIDEO**

Memorable visuals, powerful messages, and viral music video moments:

• “Best Guess” - Lucy Dacus

• “Big Ol’ Hammer” - G Flip

• “Boy Crazy” - Kesha

• “Boys” - Frankie Grande

• “Crème Brulée” - David Archuleta

• “Full Time Papi” - Guitarricadelafuente

• “God’s A Raver” - Nemo

• “Good Boy” - Jim Verraros

• “Out Of Body” - Khalid

• “Vodka Cranberry” - Conan Gray

**ANTHEM**

The biggest, most inescapable bops from LGBTQ+ artists and allies:

• “Abracadabra” - Lady Gaga

• “BEAT UP CHANEL$” - Slayyyter

• “Diet Pepsi” - Ben Platt

• “Golden” - HUNTR/X

• “I’m Not A Boy” - Omar Rudberg

• “Fast” - Demi Lovato

• “No Broke Boys” - Disco Lines & Tinashe

• “Overqualified” - Durand Bernarr

• “Sticky Fingers” - Ashnikko

• “The Subway” - Chappell Roan

**COMEDY MOVIE**

The best comedy films by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• A Nice Indian Boy

• Griffin in Summer

• Pillion

• Queens of the Dead

• Sorry, Baby

• The Parenting

• The Queen of My Dreams

• The Wedding Banquet

• Twinless

• Noah’s Arc: The Movie

**DRAMA MOVIE**

The best drama films by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• 100 Nights of Hero

• Before We Forget

• Hedda

• I Wish You All the Best

• Kiss of the Spider Woman

• On Swift Horses

• Peter Hujar’s Day

• Plainclothes

• The History of Sound

• Wicked: For Good

**FILM PERFORMANCE**

Outstanding performances from LGBTQ+ actors in lead or supporting roles:

• Andrew Scott (Blue Moon)

• Corey Fogelmanis (I Wish You All the Best)

• Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good)

• Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby)

• Karan Soni (A Nice Indian Boy)

• Kelly Marie Tran (The Wedding Banquet)

• River Gallo (Ponyboi)

• Russell Tovey (Plainclothes)

• Tessa Thompson (Hedda)

• Tonatiuh (Kiss of the Spider Woman)

**TV COMEDY**

The best comedy or comedy-adjacent TV shows by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Adults

• Boots

• Loot

• Hacks

• I Love LA

• Mid-Century Modern

• Overcompensating

• Palm Royale

• Survival of the Thickest

• The Four Seasons

**TV DRAMA**

The best drama or drama-adjacent TV shows by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Heated Rivalry

• Olympo

• Pluribus

• Severance

• The Gilded Age

• The Hunting Wives

• The Last of Us

• The Pitt

• The White Lotus

• Wayward

**TV PERFORMANCE**

Best performances from LGBTQ+ actors in lead or significant supporting television roles:

• Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)

• Benito Skinner (Overcompensating)

• Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons)

• Erin Doherty (Adolescence)

• Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Loot)

• François Arnaud (Heated Rivalry)

• Miles Heizer (Boots)

• Owen Thiele (Adults)

• Pablo Alborán (Breathless)

• Supriya Ganesh (The Pitt)

**REALITY TV**

The best “unscripted” TV series by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Back to the Frontier

• Below Deck

• Dragula: Titans

• Great British Bake-Off

• House of Villains

• Project Runway

• Survivor

• The Boyfriend

• The Traitors

• The Ultimatum: Queer Love

**READ**

The most exciting and buzzed-about books from 2025 by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Accidentally on Purpose by Kristen Kish

• I Wrote This for Attention by Lukas Gage

• Marsha by Tourmaline

• Ni de Aqui, Ni de Alla by Jorge Xolalpa

• Nice Girls Don’t Win by Parvati Shallow

• Paper Doll by Dylan Mulvaney

• Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything by Alyson Stoner

• Simply More by Cynthia Erivo

• So Gay for You by Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey

• Walk Like a Girl by Prabal Gurung

**SPORTS HERO**

LGBTQ+ athletes who made a difference in 2025, on the field or off:

• Alyssa Thomas

• Amber Glenn

• Becky Hammon

• Blaize Shiek & Louie Conn

• Cal Calamia

• Erik Shoji

• Gus Kenworthy

• Jason Collins

• Sue Bird

• Yared Nuguse

**STYLE ICON**

LGBTQ+ fashionistas, designers, stylists, and trendsetters who made an impact on culture:

• Andrew Christian

• Antoni Porowski

• Brad Goreski

• Conner Ives

• Jeremy Pope

• Lux Pascal

• Nicky Campbell

• Sarah Paulson

• Veejay Floresca

• Willy Chavarria

**DIGITAL SERIES**

Web series or recurring video content by, for, or about the LGBTQ+ community:

• Dragvestigations

• House Guest with Scott Evans

• Happy Endings with Bruno

• King of Drag

• La Más Draga

• Slayers: Wheel of Fate

• Hopeless Romantic Society

• Unconventional

• Very Important People

• Wish You Were Queer

**REALITY TV STAR**

Iconic LGBTQ+ stars from reality television who made an impact in 2025:

• Chrishell Stause

• Emira D’Spain

• Ezra Sosa

• Fraser Olender

• Gabby Windey

• Michols Peña

• Nany González

• Pari Kim

• Tiffany “New York” Pollard

• Zelah Glasson

**NEXT BIG THING**

The most anticipated moments in pop culture we expect to make waves in 2026:

• American Horror Story 13

• Cats: The Jellicle Ball

• Confessions on a Dance Floor Pt. 2

• Heartstopper Forever

• Practical Magic 2

• Red, White & Royal Wedding

• Scary Movie 6

• Stop! That! Train!

• The Comeback Season 3

• The Devil Wears Prada 2